The Family That Wants a King
The next morning, I learned something important.
Surviving vampire hunters, blood rituals, and ancient throne politics was easier than surviving breakfast with the Celestine family.
I sat at a dining table large enough to host peace treaties and probably several assassinations.
Silver cutlery.
Crystal glasses.
Perfect silence.
And at the head of the table—
Lord Alaric Celestine, reading the newspaper like a man casually controlling half the world before tea.
Beside him sat Lady Evelina, smiling softly while somehow being more terrifying than everyone else combined.
Across from me—
Lilith.
Calm.
Elegant.
And entirely too amused by my suffering.
Wonderful.
A servant placed coffee in front of me with the kind of respect usually reserved for dangerous animals.
Accurate.
Very accurate.
Evelina stirred her tea.
"So."
That single word made the room pay attention.
She smiled warmly.
"Tell me, Aarav, how many wives are we expecting?"
I nearly inhaled my coffee.
Lilith looked down at her cup, clearly trying not to laugh.
Traitor.
Alaric calmly turned a page of the newspaper.
"Important logistical question."
Absolutely not.
I set the cup down.
"Apparently, ten is the current political estimate."
Silence.
Then—
Evelina nodded thoughtfully.
"Ambitious."
Lilith finally failed and laughed.
Soft.
Beautiful.
Dangerous.
I was beginning to understand that her family enjoyed my suffering far too much.
Alaric folded the newspaper.
His sharp eyes met mine.
"Ten wives means ten clans."
He said it like a business report.
"Ten clans means ten wars."
I leaned back.
"Yes."
He nodded once.
"Good."
I blinked.
"That was not the response I expected."
Evelina smiled.
"We dislike boring men."
Fair.
Very fair.
Breakfast continued with the strange calm of people discussing world domination over eggs.
Because apparently, for this family, that was normal.
Alaric placed his cup down.
"The ten families chose you because they believed they could control the throne."
His gaze sharpened.
"They were wrong."
I appreciated the honesty.
Lilith crossed one leg elegantly.
"Now the question is simpler."
She looked at me.
"Which of them will survive disappointing you?"
Amazing woman.
Terrible for diplomacy.
Perfect.
Before I could answer, footsteps entered the dining hall.
Measured.
Confident.
A man in his early thirties stepped inside.
Tall.
Sharp suit.
Sharp smile.
And the exact expression of someone who enjoyed causing trouble professionally.
He looked at Lilith first.
Then at me.
Then smiled.
Interesting.
Dangerous.
Family.
"Ah."
He said smoothly.
"So this is the future scandal."
Lilith sighed.
"My cousin, Adrian."
Of course.
Every powerful family required at least one relative who existed purely to create problems.
Adrian Celestine walked closer and offered his hand.
"Adrian. Professional disappointment. Occasional genius."
I shook it.
Firm grip.
Testing.
Good.
"I'm Aarav. Frequent trouble. Full-time bad decision."
His smile widened.
"We're going to get along beautifully."
I already distrusted him.
Which probably meant he was useful.
Adrian dropped into the empty chair beside me like rules were optional.
They probably were for him.
He stole toast from Lilith's plate.
She looked at him.
He returned the look.
Then quietly put it back.
Excellent survival instinct.
He turned to me.
"So."
He lowered his voice dramatically.
"Are you actually trying to marry into this family, or are you just collecting powerful vampire women like expensive hobbies?"
Evelina hid a smile behind her tea.
Traitors.
All of them.
I answered honestly.
"At this point, I'm mostly trying to survive breakfast."
Adrian nodded seriously.
"Good answer."
Then his expression shifted.
Subtle.
But real.
Business.
"There's another reason I came."
The room changed.
Alaric didn't speak.
Which somehow made it worse.
Adrian looked at me.
"The other clans know."
Of course they did.
No peace.
No quiet.
Perfect.
He continued.
"Not rumours."
"Confirmation."
"The Vampire King bloodline has awakened."
Lilith's expression cooled.
Evelina set her tea down.
Even sunlight felt quieter.
Adrian leaned forward.
"Three houses are already moving."
"Noir."
"Lunaris."
"And…"
He paused.
Interesting.
He was choosing words carefully.
"House Draven."
That name meant nothing to me.
But it meant something to everyone else.
Lilith's jaw tightened slightly.
Rare.
Alaric's eyes became colder.
Evelina sighed like someone hearing old bad news return.
Good sign.
Probably.
I looked at them.
"Should I be concerned?"
Adrian smiled without humour.
"Yes."
Excellent.
I appreciated consistency.
Lilith spoke first.
"House Draven does not negotiate."
Her crimson eyes met mine.
"They take."
Adrian added calmly,
"And their heir has never lost anything she wanted."
Now that sounded like a problem.
Or another wife.
Honestly, with my life, both were equally possible.
Evelina looked at me with the calm of a woman discussing the weather.
"She will come for you."
I nodded.
"Of course she will."
Alaric stood.
Conversation over.
That alone made everyone else straighten.
He looked at me like a king issuing a law.
"Then let her come."
His voice was quiet.
Absolute.
"We do not hand kings to wolves."
That sentence settled in the room like iron.
Not kindness.
Not comfort.
Protection.
House Celestine had made a decision.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Lilith stood too and walked toward me.
She stopped close enough that everyone at the table could feel the tension.
Perfect.
She adjusted my tie slowly.
Terrible woman.
Excellent timing.
Her voice dropped low.
"If House Draven moves…"
Her fingers paused against my collar.
"…do not let her kiss you first."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Jealous?"
She smiled.
Cold.
Beautiful.
"Competitive."
Behind her, Adrian whispered dramatically,
"I love this family."
Evelina looked pleased.
Alaric looked like this was somehow still breakfast.
And I—
I realized something dangerous.
I was no longer standing outside these people.
I was becoming part of the war.
Part of the family.
And somehow—
that felt less like a trap
and more like home.
Which was probably the most dangerous thing of all.