*VICKY*After the cocktail party, we returned to the Elders Church and discussed the night's events with Lord Tybrius and the other Elders before retiring to bed. I didn't know when I fell asleep. The following day, I was awakened by the alarm on my phone. Today was the first day of the competition. We had to get there in time. Just as I was about to get up, I realized Leon had already woken up. Walking out of the bedroom, I saw that he had already had breakfast sent to our room."Good morning. White or rye?"I stretched and smiled. "Rye, please.""Absolutely." He took the bread and began buttering it, then handed me a plate consisting of salad, bacon, and sausages on the table, I took one smell and my stomach responded with a growl. "You know, I could definitely get used to this 'in-house' service. I feel like I'm in a hotel, albeit the dungeon decor." I smirked and took a bite of my breakfast. Fuck, it was delicious.After enjoying a good meal, we changed our clothes and

*LEON*"Leon…Leon…Wake up. We're going to be late..."I opened my eyes halfway to see a blurry figure standing in front of me, calling out my name. The voice was vaugely familiar…Mom?The figure reached out and hit me hard with its hand, but I was so tired and just wanted to go back to sleep that it barely phased me. Suddenly, it pushed me back forcefully. I felt my body fall down a cliff. The strong sense of weightlessness made my heart race, and I hit the ground with a thud.My body jerked itself awake as I fell onto the ground. I lazily looked around. The location looked familiar but also strange. Where was I?I got up and saw I was alone. There was light not far away outside of the window, and there seemed to be many people gathering nearby. I couldn't remember anything. I checked my body and then touched my neck. I seethed. It hurt like hell. There was a bump. What the fuck was going on…?I glanced around and then saw the fridge. I raced for it to get ice for my neck. I cl

*VICKY*"Fuck you!"All the pent-up hatred and anger I had been experiencing for the last five centuries coiled over me at one. Standing across from me was a nightmare from the past, a ghost that should have been buried deep in history and forgotten there. Today, God gave me this opportunity to put an end to it together with the regret for my past. I was no longer Blood Queen Victoria. I was Vicky. But I needed Victoria now more than ever.I took a few deep breaths and stood up. First Snow was too far for my reach, but that was okay. I trusted my abilities and strength. Her abilities and strength. Rupert had to die today, even if it meant risking my own life. I clenched my fist tightly and thought about what to do next. Rupert was so light on his feet; I had to find a chance to make a run for First Snow. My mind was racing, but I stood very still."What?" he teased. "Are you giving up?"Rupert sounded a little disappointed. He probably wanted to see me fight back desperately and

*VICKY*I focused my eyes on the shadow not far away. A man stood there, the stark darkness shrouding his features. He was wearing a large cloak with a hood over his head. I couldn't see what he was wearing underneath it, but I saw a golden badge on his chest. The Elders."Lord Tybrius?" When he appeared from the shadows, his face was immediately illuminated by the moon's kiss. His gaze was watchful, and he moved toward me. He was holding a black rifle with exquisite carvings that was still pointed up at me."Vicky. That's enough." His voice had an air of authority to it, which made me realize that I wouldn't be able to kill Rupert today. I stared back at him, and it was like the emotions all hit me at once. My body started to shake, and my hands…they moved on their own. And suddenly, I was crying."H-he killed Rey…he almost killed Leon…" "I know, I know," Lord Tybrius coaxed. He took a step closer but moved with caution as if he wasn't sure what I was going to do next. "But

*VICKY*Leon had the curtains drawn and I couldn't see what was going on in the room. I had to let the bats climb to the top edge of the window to see if there was any chance I could hear anything coming from his apartment. The light through the curtain slit told me Leon was still awake even at this late hour. Was he thinking about me? Was he scared because of what had happened the other day?My mind was in a tizzy. Yes, vampires, the Allied Holy Order, do exist. Such things really should stay in books or on television, but we were real. I came into my life and brought that world with me and… It almost killed him.Perhaps he didn't understand what it meant to be in love with a vampire when I told him the truth. Now he could see what it meant, he saw the reality of what we would be to each other and also what we could never be to each other. We would never be the same species and should never have tried to be together.What are you thinking? He accepted you, didn't he.Didn't he give