The year was 1679. Being part of the high society of London's aristocracy was making life a little less tedious and as part of Charles II's court I would dare say that my existence was proving quite entertaining to say the least. The king was a man of vigor with more than a handful of mistresses, court filled with parties and other festivities and on top of that, he had wit that could keep even a seasoned vampire like me regaled.

It was during another one of King Charles II's fancy masquerade balls, personal favorite of yours truly, when I saw her. She was new to the court, obviously of high standards as I asked around. Lady Alexia Branson, married to a Lord Branson of Bedfordshire who was visiting London together with her and her younger brother. I really didn't pay much attention to the details. She was well bred, with a gorgeous figure and her smile could knock out any male within a one mile radius. She was lethal. I heard her quipping at most men during the evening, no one safe from that sharp tongue of hers.

And I wanted her.

Now, I could have gone by the normal route of compelling her and hiding away for a quick nip and taste, but I was in the mood for something more. So I told my friend the king, who had appointed me his friend and confidante – his adviser, if you will. (Sure, I'd compelled my way through to that position – not all things come for free – but to be honest, I did know how to give splendid advice, since I'd been around for a bit and a quarter… so to speak.) And of course our king wanted to oblige me, being his right hand and all.

Charles immediately called Lord Branson over to him, introducing the lord to me.

"Lord Branson, this is my highly esteemed friend and adviser Earl Niklaus Mikaelson from Monmouth."

He turned to me with a wry smile on his puffy face.

"Earl Mikaelson, Lord Branson from Bedfordshire." I nodded with a curt bow at Lord Branson – middle aged man with a nervous air to him, but it could of course be the mere fact that he was standing in front of the King of Britain.

His odor was foul to say the least and as I glanced over at Lady Alexia Branson I could not believe that someone as beautiful as her could be lying underneath a pig like him every night, while he grunted away. How little she must know about the art of love making.

I looked back at Lord Branson with a coy smirk. And how I would enjoy showing her what making love was truly like.

"Earl Mikaelson has shown interest in your lady, Lord Branson." King Charles II twinned his mustache, and his dark charcoal eyes were scrutinizing the man in front of him. "And I've told Earl Mikaelson that you would be delighted in handing Lady Branson as a gift from your hand to the court and to Earl Mikaelson because it would make your king very happy. And who knows what rewards may be reaped…"

The king left the sentence hanging, like a piece of bread to a beggar.

My eyes kept going back to the Lady Branson, standing on the other side of the room. She stood stock still, mask hiding her facial features, but her whole body was tense and her mouth was in a thin line.

"I should give the Lord some time to think over the king's proposition." I said softly, giving bow to the king, before sauntering over to Lady Alexia Branson, asking her to dance with me. She looked startled to say the least, her eyes still set on the king and her husband, but she curtsied politely and I held out my hand to lead her to the dance floor.

I could hear the king in the background once I concentrated on that part of the room. "I have in good mind to take your lands, Branson." The king hissed. "I will make out you do not pay your taxes, withholding from your king and your country if you do not agree to this. Your king demands it."

Branson must have objected to the king's wishes while I was walking up to Lady Branson, but I couldn't help smiling when the mere silence was reply enough, until King Charles II let out a burly laugh. "Good man. I shall give you one of the court's ladies as token of my appreciation, Branson."

I knew then that Lady Branson was now mine, fair and square. From my perspective, at least.

"What is their conversation about? My husband looks pale." I thought Lady Alexia Branson was talking more to herself than me, until she turned her head towards me, those plump lips red and moist. I wished to press my mouth against hers to taste her, to see if she tasted as pure and fresh as it seemed. "You were standing there with them. I saw you. What were they speaking of?"

I merely smiled. "Our king has given me a present, as such."

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She was almost like an unopened blossom, so innocent was Lady Alexia Branson. I couldn't have wished for more, had she been a maiden still. Lord Branson surely did not know how to use his sword in the marital bed. And by the end of the night I had her open like a flower to the sun.

Her naked body was writhing underneath me, legs wrapped around my waist and her mouth moaning into mine. I licked delicious sweat off her neck, bit lightly at her pale skin, those blue arteries looking too delicious for words.

Her small whimpers of pleasure made me thrust harder inside of her tight heat, trailing sloppy kisses along her neck and chest, our slippery bodies sliding along each other, low groans escaping me as I pushed closer to release. I wished to hurt her, to bite her – fuck her like I should be entitled. Hard and fast. Relentless. But I would break her at once.

The thought hit me as I let my seed force its way inside her velvet walls, fangs penetrating her flesh just at the right moment of her orgasm together with my own, the small shrieks of pain from her muffled by my hand covering her mouth.

I should make her mine. My eternal bride.

She was good company. I had heard her witty comments; she wasn't scared to voice her opinions. I enjoyed such women. Women like my sister. Tough as nails underneath a fragile exterior. So deceiving. Cunning even.

It was impulsive to say the least. Still inside of her, I leaned back, her eyes huge and filled with tears. She was shaking like a leaf – from fright but also coming back from falling over the edge – most probably for the first time in her short life. A life that was just about to end, to continue into an eternity with me.

I had never once thought about finding an eternal partner, not until now. There was something about Lady Alexia Branson that made me wish to keep her with me. She could keep me company when boredom struck. When Rebekah was away on one of her adventures with her various lovers or with Kol, my brother who I hated to love more than anything else.

Alexia would thank me in the end, for taking her away from this tedious life. Everlasting youth and riches instead. I searched her eyes, my hand still covering her mouth, shushing her quietly.

"Stay quiet and don't be frightened."

I was still wearing the face of a monster – fangs cutting into my bottom lip, fresh blood around the edges and my eyes flashing in a reddish black. I could smell her fear and it made me want her even more, and I became hard almost instantly at the thought of making her mine.

All mine. No one else's.

Carefully, I let go of her mouth. Her breathing was erratic but she wouldn't scream. Couldn't, since I'd compelled her to silence.

I bit into my wrist and pushed it against her mouth. She wouldn't part her lips to start with, but with a bit of force I could feel my blood against her tongue and after only a moment, she stopped fighting, drinking slowly; giving in to me. As I pulled my hand away from her mouth, I leaned down to kiss her lips, moving slowly inside of her silky wetness.

I let my hand move along her jaw line, tracing the smooth skin on her neck, over the bite that had started healing due to my blood in her system. I dare say she was smiling coyly at me once my hand gripped around the slender column of her throat, clutching hard while fucking her with slow and languid movements.

She clawed at me from lack of air, hips bucking against mine causing me to thrust deeper within her clenching core. But I never relented. Not even when her eyes rolled into the back of her skull and her arms fell slack to her sides.

I kissed her lips one last time, just as her heart beat its last and I once more let my seed push inside of my lady of eternity, whispering: "I welcome thee, my love, to a life of endless bliss."

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