If Heaven planned to judge me in three nights, then preparation was necessary.
Not fear.
Preparation.
Fear was for people with fewer vampire wives.
Unfortunately for me, I had four.
Which meant "quiet planning" had turned into a full royal war council inside my house.
The dining room table was now covered with maps, old books, silver weapons, bloodline records, and what looked suspiciously like legal documents against holy organisations.
Only in this family.
Father sat at the head of the table, calm as always.
Mother had accepted supernatural politics with terrifying speed and was now feeding everyone like war required carbohydrates.
Honestly, she was probably right.
Ananya handled logistics.
Kavya handled commentary.
Riya handled emotional chaos.
And me—
I was apparently the national problem everyone was trying to protect.
Wonderful.
Seraphina stood near the window, arms crossed, looking like she was personally offended by religion.
Selene sat beside a stack of ancient records, silver hair falling over one shoulder as she read.
Valeria was playing with one of Father's silver knives.
Which should have worried me more.
Lilith stood near the centre of the room like royalty disguised as strategy.
She looked at me.
"The Crimson Church will not attack emotionally."
I raised an eyebrow.
"That sounds almost disappointing."
Valeria smiled.
"I knew I liked him."
Lilith ignored both of us.
"They attack through proof."
She placed an old file on the table.
"They will expose weakness."
"Bloodline."
"Control."
"Human morality."
Her crimson eyes sharpened.
"They will ask one question."
She paused.
"Should a king like you be allowed to exist?"
Simple.
Cruel.
Effective.
I leant back in my chair.
"They seem very invested in my schedule."
Seraphina finally spoke.
Cold.
Precise.
"Because if you rise fully, the balance changes."
Her crimson eyes met mine.
"You are not a noble vampire."
"You are of the original blood."
The room felt quieter.
Even Father looked up.
Selene added softly,
"The first king."
That word stayed in the air.
King.
Not title.
Not politics.
Something older.
Something buried inside blood itself.
I looked at my own hands.
Still strange.
A former assassin from one life.
A vampire king in another.
Honestly, identity had become flexible.
Valeria leaned forward.
"And if Heaven realises the throne is choosing you…"
Her smile sharpened.
"They will stop pretending this is a trial."
Good.
I preferred honesty.
Lilith nodded once.
"They will call it extermination."
Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
Kavya whispered dramatically,
"This family dinner has incredible stakes."
Riya nodded.
"I support violence."
Mother pointed a spoon at both of them.
"No supporting violence before lunch."
Even war respected Mother.
Father placed a folder in front of me.
Old.
Worn.
Heavy.
I opened it.
Inside—
photographs.
Hunter records.
Ancient symbols.
One symbol stood out immediately.
A broken crown beneath a burning cross.
The Crimson Church.
Father's expression changed.
Rare.
Serious.
"This is why I left the hunter world."
Silence.
That got everyone's attention.
Even Lilith.
He folded his hands.
"Years ago, I worked beside people who believed monsters should die."
His voice remained calm.
"But the Church…"
He paused.
"They believed anything uncontrollable should die."
I looked at him.
"Even humans?"
He smiled without humour.
"Especially humans."
That…
I understood.
Control disguised as salvation.
The oldest religion of power.
Father continued.
"They will not try to prove you are evil."
His eyes locked onto mine.
"They will try to prove you are necessary to kill."
That hit differently.
Because villains were easy.
Necessity was harder.
Lilith stepped closer.
"This is why you cannot go there as prey."
I smiled faintly.
"I was never very good at prey."
Seraphina walked toward me.
She stopped close.
Close enough for politics to become personal.
Her fingers touched the mark near my neck.
The blood bond pulsed.
Warm.
Alive.
And suddenly—
Something changed.
Not pain.
Resonance.
A pulse of emotion.
Sharp.
Protective.
Possessive.
From her.
I froze slightly.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Selene noticed immediately.
"The bond."
Her silver eyes narrowed.
"It is deepening."
Valeria stood.
Now interested.
Dangerous.
Lilith stepped closer too.
The room changed.
I looked at Seraphina.
And for the first time—
I didn't just see her expression.
I felt it.
Fear.
Not for herself.
For me.
Hidden beneath all that elegant control.
Raw.
Real.
That was new.
Seraphina's eyes widened slightly.
Because she felt it too.
She could feel my realisation.
Silence.
Heavy.
Private.
The room disappeared for one second.
Only the bond remained.
I said quietly—
"You were afraid."
Not an accusation.
Truth.
She looked away first.
Rare.
Important.
"I dislike uncertainty."
Lie.
Beautiful lie.
I smiled faintly.
"No."
I stepped closer.
Lowered my voice.
"You were afraid of losing me."
The bond pulsed again.
And this time—
I felt it stronger.
Embarrassment.
Anger.
Affection.
Dangerous combination.
Perfect.
Valeria whispered,
"Oh, I love this."
Selene sighed.
"Emotional honesty. How exhausting."
Lilith looked almost amused.
Progress.
Seraphina met my eyes again.
And this time—
She didn't deny it.
Good.
Because truth mattered.
I touched her wrist lightly.
And the blood responded.
Suddenly—
a flash.
Not sight.
Memory.
Her memory.
A young Seraphina is standing alone in a massive, dark mansion.
Too young.
Too quiet.
Training.
Pressure.
Loneliness hidden behind noble perfection.
Then—
gone.
I stepped back slightly.
Breath caught.
She noticed.
Of course she did.
Her voice dropped.
"What did you see?"
Everyone was watching now.
I looked at her.
Softly.
Honestly.
"The girl before the queen."
Silence.
Absolute.
Selene stood slowly.
Interesting.
She understood immediately.
"The Blood Resonance…"
Lilith's expression sharpened.
"It has awakened."
Valeria smiled like she had discovered a new weapon.
"Now that is useful."
I ignored her.
Mostly.
I looked at all of them.
And understood.
The bond was changing.
Not just power.
Connection.
Emotion.
Truth.
Blood never lies.
And maybe—
That was far more dangerous than heaven.
Because enemies were simple.
But people who could feel your heart?
That was a war of another kind.
I smiled slowly.
Cold.
Certain.
Good.
Let Heaven come.
If judgment was waiting—
Then I would arrive with queens, blood, and enough truth to burn their altar down.
And honestly?
I was starting to look forward to it.