My Personal Beast

Chapter 18

It had been a week since Klaus’s vampire ordeal. Things were a good as they could be. My family had found out about him being a vampire, and his family had all been turned to vampires. Things were a bit tense, but I was working on it. This morning I was lying in my bed, staring up at the ceiling when I heard a tapping coming from the window. I got out of bed, and creped to the window, on my guard. There, standing among the trees, was Klaus with a big smirk on his face.

“What are you doing?” I asked with a blank expression as I lifted up the window.

“I wanted to see you,” He said materializing into my room. Being a vampire, he had increased senses.

“It’s nearly dawn,” I protested.

“So?” He asked pulling me closer to him.

“You know my mother will skin you alive if she finds you here, right?” I asked with a grin.

“Oh I know,” He smirked.

“Not to mention the fact that Malika is spying on us from her bed, trying to look inconspicuous,” I raised my eyebrows at the figure in Malika’s bed.

“Was it that obvious?” Malika chuckled.

“Only a little bit,” I smirked.

“We should be getting ready. Mother will be coming up here in a while,” Malika told me.

“Now,” I turned to Klaus, “I want you to go back home, get up a couple hours later, and knock on the door like a normal man,” I smirked, kissing him.

“I’m not what you would call normal though,” Klaus smirked back.

“Well we’re going to pretend. Okay?” I asked pulling him closer. “Now go,” I said pushing him out the door. Malika kept giving me this unnerving grin.

“What?” I asked her warily.

“Who would’ve thought the love of your life would turn out to be a hybrid?” Malika laughed.

“Oh shut up,” I said throwing her with a pillow. We had gotten dressed, and I went downstairs to the kitchen, waiting for Klaus to show up at the door.

“Morning papa,” I greeted my father.

“You’re in a happy mood,” He commented, kissing the top of my head.

“What’s the reason?” Luke chuckled, walking into the kitchen.

“Why does there always have to be a reason for me to be happy?” I laughed.

“Because you’re a naturally pessimistic person,” Melody grinned.

“Don’t talk about your sister like that,” My mother playfully hit Melody on the arm.

“Aria, I want you to welcome the Duke Marcus when he arrives,” My mother instructed me.

“Yes mother,” I sighed.

“I’ll be in the hallway,” I said grabbing my glass of juice and walking over to the staircase.

A moment later the doorbell rang and I got up to go answer it, hoping it would be Klaus. It wasn’t.

“Hello Marcus,” I greeted him with a smile plastered onto my face.

“Aria,” Marcus bowed and smiled at me.

“Marcus, why don’t you join us for a walk around the gardens,” My mother motioned for me to follow her. I rolled my eyes at her, wondering what she was planning. As we reached the lake I found out.

“Marcus has offered his hand in marriage to you,” My mother told me. I stared at her with my mouth gaping open, and my eyes bulging out of my sockets.

“We would make a fine couple, Aria,” Marcus smiled at me. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him. I knew my mother had been scrutinizing my every move. To placate her, I acted as though I was really thinking about it.

“I…” I said biting down on my lip. I saw my mother inhale and hold her breath.

“I’m sorry Marcus, I’m afraid I’ll have to reject your offer,” I smiled sadly at him.

“Oh…” Marcus sighed looking down at the floor.

“If you would excuse me, I have somewhere to be,” I told them, not wanting to be a part of this awkward silence. My mother would have some explaining to do later on.

“Malika!” I called out, nearing the door.

“Has Klaus arrived yet?” I asked her.

“Yeah. I told him you were down at the lake, and he said he would follow you there. Then he came back and just took off back to his castle,” Malika explained.

“He heard the marriage proposal,” I sighed.

“Mother?” Malika guessed. I nodded my head, and I saw her roll her eyes.

“Always meddling where she’s not wanted,” Malika sighed.

“I’m going to go look for Klaus. I’ll be out late,” I said.

After a couple of hours, I couldn’t find him. My mother and I had engaged in a screaming contest, and eventually I won. So now I sat in my bed, reading a book. I knew Klaus would be sulking off somewhere, and I didn’t know when he would come back. It was nearly midnight when Malika came barging into the room.

“Marcus is dead,” Malika told me.

“The Duke that proposed this morning?” I asked her, putting down my book.

“Yes,” She huffed.

“I’m going out, don’t tell mother,” I whispered.

You’re going to see Klaus, aren’t you? She guessed. I nodded my head, grabbed my coat and raced out the door. Klaus wasn’t in his castle. I found him near the forests, drenched in blood.

“You killed him?” I guessed.

“He tried to take you away from me. I couldn’t let that happen,” Klaus hissed.

“So you attack him I the middle of the night as a wolf?” I yelled.

“Not so loud.” Klaus said, shushing me. I glared at him, hoping he would explain further.

“When I saw you hesitate to say no, well, I snapped. You’re the only good thing in my life, Aria. I won’t let them take you away from me.” Klaus whispered, cupping my face in his hands.

“I hesitated because my mother was watching me. You know how she feels about us. I had to appease her.” I muttered.

“I can’t bear the thought of you belonging to someone else.” He whispered, leaning closer.

“I don’t belong to anyone else.” I muttered.

“Marry me?” Klaus asked.

“What?”

“I want to claim you before anyone else does. I love you, Aria. Will you marry me?” He asked again.

“Yes,” I muttered, kissing him softly. Without any thought to what my mother would say, or what the kingdom would think, I gave my life to the man I loved.

“I love you.” He whispered into my ear.