Celestial Clans: The Vampire Prince's Secret

How we happened

Valentine and Camille took a lot of time to have their first real conversation but now that they had done that, they began spending a lot of time together. They would spend up to 8 hours a day together. Valentine was enjoying every second of it although he constantly had a feeling of dread he could not yet explain. He enjoyed having someone outside his usual circle of friends and family who didn’t really know him but cared for him. On the first day after their conversation, he had come to the café with his camera. He took beautiful pictures of all those at the café who he knew were regulars and would come back soon, the next day he brought the printed pictures to the café and gave them to Camille to help him give those whose shots he had captured. He didn’t know but that singular act had made ‘Cam’ (as he now fondly called her) to respect him even more, to her it showed that he cared about making ordinary people feel happiness even though he was wealthy. The very next day they sat together for hours, they spoke for hours and the whole time Valentine seemed to be looking at her as though trying to notice every single detail of her face. He got a pencil and made the most exquisite sketch of her while she was working, he then folded it and kept it in her purse, and she was into art herself and was a wonderful painter so she could instantly see that he was really good at drawing by seeing his sketch of her.

The third day was spent talking about each other’s childhood, he found out a lot of her dreams and aspirations. The simplicity of how she felt about things and people as well as what she wanted from life left him awe struck. That same day he managed to win the hearts of every single person at the café by doing something that was so normal where he was from. The café had intentionally left old songs on the sound system that day to give their older customers a chance to reminisce and enjoy music from when they were much younger. Valentine decided to teach Cam ballroom dancing right there in the middle of the café, he pulled her close to him and danced with the grace that was expected from a king. The entire café had given them a standing ovation because they all thought Camille had danced perfectly, but she was the only one who knew that the man she danced with simply carried her weight along with his. He was definitely stronger than was expected of someone his size, he wasn’t a small man but he wasn’t really big physically. He had a full head of hair, never any facial hair, a lean but ripped body and the greyest colored set of eyes anyone had probably ever seen. He was like someone straight out of a movie or the page of a fashion magazine with that perfectly set jaw line and yet he never really showed that annoying pride most good looking men tend to show, at least not since they had gotten close.

On the fourth day he took her for a ride in his car, just to impress her with the classic masculine need for thrill. They moved at speeds she had never seen a car move and the adrenaline rush they had during the drive was still affecting their actions when they got back to the café and parked. It was already dark and Alistair was waiting by his car, he had come to take her home as he did every night. Camille ran towards him and literally flew into a hug that obviously caught Alistair by surprise; the shock was clearly registered all over his face. Valentine didn’t really appreciate it and he was obviously glaring at the other man now. Cam took Alistair’s by the arm and brought him towards Valentine “Alistair this is King and King,” she said, now pointing at Alistair “this is Alistair. I think it’s about time I properly introduced you two” she added smiling at Valentine. She still called him King because he had not yet given her his real name, which was enough to make him feel bad because he suddenly realized the huge invisible gulf that was always going to be between them. How was a vampire to be totally honest with a clueless human and still expect love and friendship?

He was sizing up Alistair now and Alistair was doing same. Most normal men meeting for the first time would shake hands but this two were not willing to be most men. They just looked at each other and Camille realizing how charged the atmosphere between them was decided to step in “Alistair is my best friend’s brother, and we have been friends since I was 17. I think you’ll be good friends. You both think alike.” That statement drew a laugh from both men, they were laughing now but it seemed sarcastic.

Valentine spoke first “It’s nice to finally meet you Alistair, that name is one I like. It’s nice and quite rare these days.”

Alistair had a deeper voice, he always seemed more manly than most men “King is a nice name, I have heard a lot about you.” He seemed to be saying something with more meaning than what his words actually meant but Camille didn’t really understand. Valentine however was not like most men and was not going to be looked down on by anyone, not even someone who had the natural right to do so. He raised his right hand and patted Alistair’s shoulders thrice before speaking.

“It’s nice to know you’ve heard about me too, we’ll probably be seeing more of each other. I hope we can get along.” With that he pulled Camille towards him and pecked her on the cheek “Goodnight beautiful lady, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He got into his car, everyone in the café could hear the roar of his engine and then he sped off as he always did. Camille was constantly angry about his lack of fear for his own safety, but he was who he was long before they met and she had to accept that. Alistair and Camille got into the Jag and Alistair just sat there watching her for a while before starting the car. She knew something was bothering him instantly.

“Hey we’ve known each other for years now, if there’s something wrong you can just say it. Do you not like him that much? You just met him.” She said

“I just met him, but I already knew about him before you met him. His name is Valentine and I’m guessing you didn’t even know that. Well in a sense he is a king, but not a noble one” he explained

For some reason Camille looked rather thrilled “He is actually royalty?” she asked excited now.

“That’s a question you should ask him. Rumors about him in circulation are not good Camille, and you shouldn’t get attached to someone like him. He has secrets he can’t share even if he wanted to, he doesn’t even believe in having feelings. Most of what he has ever said to you could be lies.” He sighed “I just hope you think about this, do not make the mistake of transmuting your own feelings for him into his actions towards you. He is not someone who loves.” Camille said nothing; she just smiled sadly at Alistair then stared out the window. She was obviously lost in her thoughts. Starting tomorrow she would have to stop working at the café as an actual worker and maybe just help from time to time as a volunteer because she had to get back to school, the semester had already begun in college and lectures were to start soon.

She got home and lay in bed, still lost in thought. She would have less time to spend with King now and he still had not told her the really personal things about himself. Now that she thought about it, he had never really mentioned his plans to her, he just said he wanted peace on earth and that was too vague a dream for just one person to have. He had not taken her to see his place which he said was out of town. Suddenly she was smiling again, she had come to the conclusion that there was no need to think too far ahead or imagine so much when all she had to do was ask those direct questions she had not yet asked. She was just going to sleep and face tomorrow with a clear mind. She was on the verge of sleep when her phone on the bedside table started ringing. It was a foreign number but she picked anyway, half expecting it to be Jane

“Hey it’s me, the guy you spilled coffee on,” He said laughing “I’ll be out of town for three days, I’ll be jetting off to New York to arrange for my younger sisters arrival to America tomorrow. She hasn’t been here before. I know you’ll be back in school so I thought this would be the best time to sort things out while you’re busy. If you don’t like it, I’ll just park the jet where it has been this whole time and come to school with you tomorrow”

“Would you be willing to meet my parents when you are back? I think they would let me spend more time with you if they get to know you” she sounded weak and that made it impossible for him to say no.

He giggled on the other end “You must really like me now,” he said, obviously happy that she was asking him to see her parents. “Once I’m back, I’ll see your parents. You have to promise me good spaghetti though, do we have a deal?” he asked

“Yes!” she was laughing again and that was enough for him “Please be safe” she added

“Goodnight beautiful lady” was all he said in his usual charming tone and then the line went silent. She was sure she loved him, he was clearly secretive and mysterious but she loved him that way.