The hallway had become a battlefield.
Not with weapons.
Not yet.
But with smiles.
Which, somehow, felt more dangerous.
Seraphina stood near the classroom door, arms crossed, black hair falling over one shoulder like a warning wrapped in elegance.
Selene stood in front of me, silver hair shining beneath the morning light, calm as moonlight and twice as dangerous.
And I—
I stood exactly in the middle of two vampire heiresses who could probably destroy half the city before lunch.
Wonderful.
Around us, the students had completely abandoned the concept of subtlety.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
Phones were already out.
Even Armaan Khanna had forgotten his own ego and was standing there like a confused background character.
Seraphina's crimson eyes rested on Selene's hand near my collar.
Still touching the hidden mark.
Her smile deepened.
Cold.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
"How bold."
Selene finally removed her hand and turned slightly.
"Good morning, Seraphina."
Her tone was smooth.
Polite.
Like two queens greeting each other before war.
Seraphina walked closer.
Each step felt deliberate.
Measured.
Dangerous.
"I heard Moonfang preferred patience."
Selene nodded.
"We do."
She looked at me.
"But some things are worth moving quickly for."
I sighed.
This was definitely my punishment for past sins.
Seraphina stopped beside me.
Close enough that I could feel the warmth of her presence.
"Careful," she said softly.
"Some people mistake curiosity for ownership."
Selene smiled faintly.
"And some mistake first place for victory."
There it was.
Open rivalry.
Clean.
Sharp.
No pretending.
I respected it.
Most men would probably panic.
I was mostly deciding whether escaping through the nearest window was socially acceptable.
Then something strange happened.
The scent.
Their scent.
Blood.
Moonlight.
Dark roses.
My vampire senses sharpened instantly.
The bond marks on my neck pulsed.
Heat spread through my veins.
Not pain.
Something far more dangerous.
Desire.
The vampire blood inside me responded to both of them.
The instinct was primal.
Ancient.
Possessive.
It wanted closeness.
Contact.
Bond.
And suddenly, standing calmly became much harder than fighting hunters.
Seraphina noticed first.
Of course she did.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Then she stepped closer.
Too close.
Her voice dropped low enough for only me to hear.
"The bond is reacting."
Selene noticed next.
And instead of stepping back—
She moved closer.
Perfect.
Now I was trapped between moonlight and fire.
Selene's voice was calm.
"But the reaction is stronger than expected."
I took a slow breath.
Bad idea.
That only made it worse.
The vampire king's bloodline inside me was becoming more active.
Every instinct screamed one thing:
Mine.
That thought alone was dangerous.
I looked at both of them.
Beautiful.
Powerful.
And both are tied to my blood.
Perhaps that was why my control slipped.
Or perhaps I was simply tired of pretending to be calm.
I reached out first—
and pulled Seraphina closer.
Her eyes widened for the first time.
Rare.
Beautiful.
Before she could speak, I tilted her chin upward.
"You both enjoy cornering me too much."
My voice was lower now.
Colder.
Possessive.
The assassin king mixed with the vampire king.
A dangerous combination.
Seraphina's lips parted slightly.
"Aarav—"
I kissed her.
The hallway forgot how breathing worked.
Warm.
Soft.
And carrying that familiar taste of danger.
For one second, Seraphina froze.
Then her fingers gripped my collar.
Not resisting.
Definitely not resisting.
When I pulled back, her usually perfect composure had cracks in it.
Good.
Fair was fair.
Then I turned.
Selene stood there watching.
Silver eyes are calm.
But not untouched.
Interesting.
I stepped closer.
She raised one elegant brow.
"Bold."
I smiled faintly.
"You said you dislike waiting."
Before she could respond, I placed one hand at her waist and pulled her forward.
Her breath caught.
Small.
But real.
Then I kissed her too.
Cooler.
Softer.
Like moonlight with hidden fangs.
When I stepped back, even Selene looked slightly less invincible.
Her cheeks carried the faintest trace of colour.
Victory.
Tiny.
But satisfying.
Around us, the hallway had spiritually ascended into chaos.
Kavya would have loved this.
Armaan looked like reality had personally insulted him.
Students whispered like witnesses to history.
Seraphina crossed her arms again, but now her calm was different.
Dangerous.
Possessive.
"You are enjoying this too much."
"Absolutely," I said.
Selene adjusted her sleeve with perfect grace.
"For someone who was confused yesterday, you adapted quickly."
I leaned slightly closer.
"Kings learn fast."
Seraphina smirked.
"No."
She said quietly.
"Kings take what belongs to them."
The air shifted again.
The rivalry had not ended.
It had only changed shape.
But now—
There was something else beneath it.
Not just politics.
Not just power.
Something warmer.
Something far more dangerous.
The beginning of real attachment.
Then the classroom bell rang.
And somehow, that ordinary sound felt absurd after everything.
Selene stepped back first.
"This conversation is unfinished."
Seraphina nodded once.
"Very unfinished."
Both looked at me.
Together.
That felt like a threat.
I accepted it.
Because for the first time since waking in this world—
I wasn't just surviving.
I was beginning to rule it.
And if fate insisted on giving me vampire wives, ancient bloodlines, and dangerous kisses in school hallways—
Then I would handle it the only way I knew how.
Like a king.