The King Of All Vampire Kings (Book 1) ✔️

|59|~ Now Is Not the Time ~

Claire POV.
Unedited.

The group of us sit near the frozen lake, enjoying this wonderful winter night. The bright moon is hanging high in the star-filled deep-blue night sky. We're laughing and talking about our epic day in the snow amongst many other things. Mr. Meany has just started a small fire with a smile on his face. He sits down beside us and jumps right into the conversation at hand, laughing his ass off like a teenager.

Gosh, I've never thought I'll live to see the time when Mr. Meany kids around like a human child.

King Marcellus or Cellus, as he begged me to call him, is cracking jokes. He is trying his best to get under Xander's skin. I officially like him. There is something inviting and charming about him. It's hard to believe that this man cracking vampire jokes is rumored to be the malicious vampire king.

Nervous Victoria takes small sips of her hot chocolate drink, shivering and watching her surroundings in constant fear no matter how many times I'd reassured her that no harm shall come her way. I feel bad that she is uncomfortable. She assured me that's it's not me but them because she doesn't trust them, and I can kind of understand. Victoria had always been the main course to the male vampire professors at school. They had always been welcoming towards her due to her angelic features. But not all attention is good attention, and she learned that the hard way.

Now, that I think about it, Victoria looks different through my newly enhanced eyes. Her hair is a dull red instead of the cherry red I'm used to seeing. Her usual flawless, porcelain skin appears to be paler. She's still beautiful but naturally prettier. She even smells different. Usually, all I could smell around her was a sweetly sick perfume. Now the cinnamon-and-spice aroma is so potent. I can literally taste it running through her laced blood. I can also hear and see her heart pounding fiercely inside her chest. It's been a constant ringing sound to my sensitive ears ever since she has gotten here. It's kind of uncomfortable for me. I feel like I'm going to pounce on her at any minute, so I've been trying to keep my distance.

I don't understand why she didn't just return to the village with Mecca. I asked her how she got back with Xander, and all she said was "we came back for you," refusing to really elaborate. She acted the same way when I asked her why she didn't return with Mecca. Her answer seemed somewhat forced.

Victoria has been eyeing the vampires strangely, most likely trying to comprehend why they are acting so carefree. Whenever they catch her staring, she places her gaze on anything other than them, especially Nicklaus. She is terrified of him. She even refused to join in our winter wonder war no matter how many snowballs hit her in the head. She has been on edge, and she shouldn't be blamed. She is in the presence of the world's most dangerous predators. They can end her life within a second, not that I'll let that happen, but still, they could.

Victoria is oblivious to the fact that I could end her life as well. She doesn't sense the darker, dangerous, and more sinister side of me that has been clawing to be released. Nicklaus constantly checks on me to make sure that I have the monster at bay. He can feel the raw power flowing through my entire body, growing stronger by the second like it's his own.

He understands that I'm kind of wary of myself. He had to assure me several times today that I' have nothing to fear. But he is wrong. I should be afraid; the intensity of my power is frightening.

To make matters worse, it is addictive and really intoxicating. I can feel myself changing drastically. All of my senses are permanently amplified. I can hear clearer, see even from miles and miles away, smell a million and one different scents that come easier for me to identify exactly who or where they come from. My taste buds are also freaking fantastic—for example, hot chocolate has always tasted creamy, rich, and warm with its chocolate greatness. However, right now not only can I taste the creamy, warm, dark, and rich chocolate base, I can also feel the warm liquid helping my body process nitric oxide and improve my blood flow. I can literally feel the improvement in my gentle beating heart.