27__Playing it cooler than an iceberg

Kamilla was about to have a heart attack.
She wasn’t ready to face him! Not yet!

*What happened to playing it cooler than an iceberg?* whispered a mocking little inner voice.
Kamilla crossly swatted a hand through the air in response to the thought. To hell with playing it cooler than an iceberg, she was currently boiling up at about a thousand degrees from embarrassment alone!

No. She wouldn’t face him. Darting across the room faster than she thought she had, Kamilla pressed against the door, holding it closed.
Why was there no golden key in this fancy ass golden keyhole?! She bit her lip in frustration, pushing with all her might at the door.

“Uuhh… y-you can’t come in!” she yelled through the door. “There’s a… uh, a hungry sorceress in here with a taste for Vampire Kings! She’s got a baby dragon with her, hungry for your bones!”
Okay, the baby dragon part was too much, but at this point Kamilla would say anything to keep him out.
The towel around her hair came completely undone and fell to the floor, letting her red locks spill out and tumble over her face, hindering her view. Kamilla ignored it.
There was no time to bother a measly thing like clear vision. She had to protect her last remaining dignity! She had to—

“What are you doing?”

Kamilla froze, staring wide eyed at the door inches from her face. Behind her. Viktor’s voice had come from behind her.
With a gasp, she spun around, pushing her hair back with one hand.

There in the middle of her bathroom, he stood. Bare-chested with nothing but fitted black jeans sitting low on his hips. Shit, was this what it meant to have a Vampire for a damn soulmate?! You couldn’t even make him believe there was a baby dragon in the room to avoid seeing him!
Kamilla blinked at the mouth-watering sight of him. “Uh… I…”

Viktor’s eyes trailed down her body and his hands dug their way into his pockets. If he didn’t put them away, they’d be on her skin in a second, he knew that. “Maybe you shouldn’t bend over like that, Kamilla. Especially not in that tiny cloth around your naked body.”

Like she’d been slapped, Kamilla blinked and straightened, her arms going protectively around herself.
“Uh, excuse me! I didn’t s-say you could come in!”

Viktor tilted his head. “I’m the King of this castle.” Kamilla glared at him and lowered her gaze to avoid his. Viktor raised a dark brow. “What’s this? Are you being shy right now, Kamilla?”
Her gaze snapped up. “What? Shy? *Me?!* Hah! Please. I’m the least shy woman ever to have existed!”
She thought she saw his mouth twitch in amusement, but it was gone in the blink of an eye.

Viktor jerked his head to the left. “Hurry and head downstairs. Demetrius is nearly dead from annoyance because no one’s eaten his food.”

Not waiting to hear her response, Viktor walked slowly towards her. Kamilla blinked as he approached, tightening her arms around herself.
“Wh-what are you doing?” She pressed against the door, clutching herself.

His bare chest was all in her face, causing serious disturbance to her concentration.
Viktor leaned in, his hand coming out of his pocket and reaching for her.
Kamilla thought her heart would burst right out of her chest and bounce all over the room. What was he doing? Why wouldn’t he stop seducing her? Why?!
“D-don’t kiss me!” she blurted out.

Viktor raised both of his dark brows. This time, she did see his mouth curve.
“Kamilla… kindly get out of my way. I’m trying to open the door and take my leave.”

Kamilla’s face went slack. What had he just said? That she’d just made a gigantic fool of herself? Yeah. That’s what Kamilla thought he’d said.

Stiffly, she inched away from the door and watched with embarrassment as Viktor pulled it open and left the room.

The moment he was gone, Kamilla grabbed the hair towel that had fallen and sent flying so far across the room that it landed in the tub of water.
“Idiot!” she muttered, smacking her head. “Big, fat idiot! That’s what I am!”
Huffing, she marched over to the rubber duckie and hoisted him into the tub before dropping her towel and climbing in after him. She gritted her teeth as she scrubbed at her body, annoyed beyond belief.
Oh, that Viktor! He really made her want to kick him in the throat.

Her movements came to a stop and Kamilla closed her eyes, slowly inhaling and exhaling to calm herself. It wouldn’t help to get this worked up.
All she had to do was forget any of it had ever happened and be happy! Easy, right?
***********
Kamilla pulled on the strings of her extra-large brown hoodie until the hood closed over her face.
With a sigh, her head fell back against the chair. She heard a plate land on the table before her and then there were fingers pulling at her hood, spreading the opening until her face was visible again.
She blinked blankly up at Demetrius through the opening.
“Dessert!” he announced happily.

With a groan, Kamilla pulled herself up.
Demetrius pulled the hood off her head and handed her a spoon. “No need to sound like a walrus, my Queen. I assure you that my creamy custard is the best.”
She gave him a look. “If you don’t stop feeding me, I’m going to actually turn into a damn walrus.”
The doors to the adjoined living room opened. “Where’s *my* custard?”
Kamilla turned around in her seat. Oh. It was one of the Legion guys. Red Eyes.

“Syre!” said Demetrius, clearly happy to stuff someone else with his delicious food. “Come sit right here, man. I’ll get you a bowl!”

Kamilla watched Syre bow to her as Demetrius skipped into the kitchen to, no doubt, pour the whole pot of custard into Syre’s bowl.
“Hello, Kamilla,” he greeted, his smile dented with two dimples.
Kamilla smiled back at him. “Hello, Red Eyes.”
He laughed just as the doors opened again and five more of his brothers poured in. Only Seth, their eldest, was missing.

Kamilla looked at them over her shoulder as they walked through the room.

“Good day, Kamilla,” said Xavier. Each of his brothers followed suit with varying kinds of greetings.
She nodded, greeting them all as they sat. Kamilla stared at them.
“You guys wouldn’t happen to be movie stars, would you?”

They laughed and Kamilla couldn’t help but smile back. So they’d lost her in the forest. So what? Who could stay mad at these cuties? Not her.

“It is usual for Vampires to be this attractive,” said Vlad darkly. Kamilla looked at him, not seeing much more than his lower face and amazing jawline since his eyes where nearly covered with his curly black hair. “Since you’re half-human, you might be unaccustomed to this level of beauty.”

Kamilla put a hand to her chest and blinked at him. “Well, okay then, Mr. I’m-Sexy-And-I-Know-It,” she said, making Syre laugh.

“Good, you’re all here!” Demetrius announced as he came back into the room with one of those food trollies from restaurants.

The guys greeted him, most of them looking pained from the knowledge that they were about to be fed within an inch of their lives.

Kamilla shook her head with a wry grin. “Why did you even make so much food, Demetrius? Don’t torture the guys if they’re not hungry.”
Demetrius gave her a look. “Of course they’re hungry! Have you ever done nothing but protect a Vampire Kingdom all day? My poor friends are starving—”
“I’m good,” said Ethan. “I just fed, bro.”
“Same,” said Vlad.
“Yeah, me too,” Zen agreed, stretching lazily in his chair.
“I’m fasting,” murmured Fayed.
Demetrius looked at Syre.
Syre grinned. “I was kidding, bro. I just fed too.”

Kamilla looked at Demetrius’s disappointed expression and had to bite back her burst of laughter when he gave her a look.

She cleared her throat and jumped out of her chair, socked feet hitting the floor. “Okay, that means you guys are free for now! I‘m bored.”
Grabbing Syre’s arm, she pulled him out of his seat and turned to Demetrius. “Where are my games, Demetrius?”
**************
They were thirty minutes into Quarter Kingdom which was a game Kamilla found to be just like Monopoly. She couldn’t believe they’d made a vampire version! The board featured all four Vampire Kingdoms with their various Family districts. Kamilla currently owned the entire Onyx Kingdom.
Vlad threw his Quarter Kingdom game piece across the room after he landed on Fayde’s expensive property for the hundredth time.

“This game’s rigged!” he complained darkly. Kamilla’s eyes widened when Vlad suddenly raised his hand, forming some sort of dark energy.
Zen leaped off the couch to the floor where Vlad sat. “Vlad, no! Don’t—”

But it was too late. Kamilla’s jaw wouldn’t close as she watched the board go up in flames.
She looked at Vlad. “Are you insane? I was winning!”

The doors to the cozy room opened. “What is this?”

Everyone turned to face Viktor. Automatically, the guys greeted him.

Kamilla tried to hide the burning board behind her. She cleared her throat. “Uhm… we’re playing Quarter Kingdom.”
Viktor made a face. “Pfft. How childish.”

Kamilla’s eyes narrowed but before she could tell him where he could shove his opinion, Seth burst in through the open door.
Viktor spun around to face him.

“Seth!” said Xavier and all six of them surrounded their eldest as he stood panting before Viktor.
Viktor’s eyes narrowed. “Seth. What’s happened?”

Seth took in a deep breath and pushed his dark hair back. “My King, there’s… there’s been another killing.”
Viktor swore.

Seth shook his head. “That’s not all. This time, the human authorities found it. There's trouble.”