The Heartbeat.

Victoria did not sit on the cold grounds as Bones left. She stood up, dusted her clothes, and walked back to her car lost in thought. She was sure that the moment she saw his warm and loving gaze falling over the gravestone; she felt her heartbeat.

This was not in the line with her existence. Vampires don't have heartbeats. She wanted to go back home and skim through the library to check if a validation existed. Her footsteps quickened. Then came another thought in her mind as she recalled the scene where the man bit his lips strong enough to bleed.

The blood flowing down his cut was blue; it was unlike she has ever seen. Vampire blood cells die quickly and thus the blood they bleed becomes pinkish and pale, and that is why they need to feed on live and fresh blood enriched with blood cells. The blood could be of any living thing, animals or humans.

But they could not take the blood from the humans directly. That was a taboo set by the tribunal of justice. It was said that once a vampire tastes the blood of a human directly, they will lose themselves to the thirst slowly and become mindless monsters.

Victoria got in her car and lowered down the partition and said, "Go home." to the driver. The driver nodded, and the car turned back to the Vlad Mansion. On the way, Victoria called her secretary. The call connected before the first ring was down, "Hello, Madam."

Victoria spoke in her usual Ice tone, "Christa, I am taking half a day off. Postpone the meetings to the evening schedule." with that she hung up the call. Her mind was too busy reminiscing about her first kiss. Oh well, almost the first kiss.

She tried to distract herself and looked up in her contact list. She was very good to humans, at least some of them she was not a total Icy bitch. She attended a normal human school and college, she is almost a human.

She thought to herself, 'Which of these plebeians can help me distract myself. Um, Marina? No, that girl is too much of a spitfire. Jane? Let's try.'

She scrolled through the contact list and failed a number. It has been almost a month since she called anyone from her past circle. The call connected and a soft voice came from the other side. "Hey, Vici, what made you call me in the middle of the night? Are you okay?"

Victoria replied in surprise, "When did you move out of the country?"

Jane said, "We are out for a vacation. What about moving out of the country? Do you not check the Polaroids anymore?"

Polaroid was an app for photo sharing and stuff. Victoria replied with a wry smile, "I have been busy, you know."

Jane scoffed, "Yeah, yeah, now tell me, why did you call me? I am with someone, you know."

Victoria asked in a shocked voice, "You are dating? Oh my god, who is it? Tell me."

Jane chuckled, "You won't believe it." her voice was filled with happiness. This was something the Vlad princess longed for. The happiness of being with someone. She insisted and asked again.

Jane replied, "Mmm, well, so you know how I did not like to date any men?" she was awkward in this conversation as this was a sensitive topic.

Victoria sighed and said, "I know you like women. Be frank about it. You are not a murderer. Now tell me who is it?"

Jane replied, "Well, I am in a relationship with Marina."

Victoria was legit, shocked, and said, "YOU ARE DATING THE SPITFIRE?"

The other side replied, "HEY VICI, HOW DARE YOU CALL THIS CHICK A SPITFIRE WAIT FOR ME TO COME BACK AND FUCK YOU SENSELESS." the other party was now Marina. She disliked anyone calling her by that name. But Victoria was still her friend, as she would just tease her once in a while and not bitch about her behind the back.

After a few insults, both of them calmed down as Jane played the peacemaker. She asked, "Vici, tell me why did you call?"

Victoria replied, "Do you guys think love, at first sight, is real?"

The other side was silent for a bit and then they said, "Yes, also, ARE YOU IN LOVE?" this was groundbreaking news for them.

Victoria replied, "I don't know..." she paused as she recalled the scene, and spoke subconsciously, "I saw his loving and warm gaze, and I just wanted to kiss him. He rejected at the last moment, you know, that bastard slapped me."

She heard a puff sound from the phone, and then Marina spoke, "Did you just say that you almost kissed a guy and he slapped you?"

Victoria replied, "Yes."

Marina asked, "How do you feel now? Angry or stuff? Do you want to see him again?" her voice was filled with curiosity. She was a gossip bandit.

Victoria replied after some thought, "I don't know, maybe I would like to see him again. Maybe not. It's more like I don't mind if he is in front of me. You know." her voice got softer by the end of the sentence.

Marina said, "By the power of female intuitions, I now declare you to be in love. May the handsome take you to the moon and fuck you to the stars and back. Amen."

Victoria was stunned and then she started laughing as she spat, "You bitch, Jane please discipline your girlfriend." the three people made fun of each other and the call disconnected. The car stopped as they arrived at the mansion.

The princess got down and walked straight to the library. Her step had a skip in it. She has not been so happy in a few years now. But just as she entered the house. Aran and his mother greeted him in the living hall. The atmosphere was tense.

Aran saw her coming and asked, "Did that guy do anything to you?"

Victoria knew what he was asking about and shook her head. Argentia asked her, "Vici, that hunter did nothing to you for sure?"

Victoria reassured her and then walked to the study to skim through the books. Argentia followed her. She disliked Aran from the core, just like her daughter. She asked, "Vici, what are you looking for in the study."

Victoria asked, "Mom, have you ever felt your heartbeat?" she would only call her mom when she was happy. This is a rare occurrence.

Argentia was about to answer when her daughter said, "After you became a vampire."

The lady shook her head and asked, "Why do you ask?" suddenly she grabbed her daughter's white arms tightly and asked, "Did you just say that you felt your heartbeat?"

Victoria was surprised by this sudden aggression of her mother and nodded. Her mother took two steps back in shock and looked at the door with a finger on her lips. She could sense Aran outside in the shadows, spying on them. He seemed to have arrived just now. Argentia heaved a sigh of relief.

Victoria followed her gaze and squinted. She said, "Mom, who was this hunter you speak about?"

Argentia replied, "His name is bones. He is the half-breed and only son of the progenitor Alucard. Why?" her voice may be calm but her eyes were wide. She found Victoria smiling as she spoke, and her daughter had a palm placed on her chest.

Victoria indirectly told her mother the identity of the person who made her heartbeat. Argentia mouthed a few words with no sound, "Are you sure?"

Victoria read her lips and nodded. She mouthed back, "What does it mean for my heart to beat?"

Argentia spoke, "Ahem, you know I read a book some time ago. It was very nice. Wait, let me find it for you. You should read some girl stuff, Vici, and not those monotonous business reports."

She walked over to a bookshelf and after some searching, she handed a book to Victoria which was called, 'Heartbeat of a Vampire: Eternal Love Companions.'

This time Victoria was shocked.