Khloe's POV:

The long silence that followed did nothing in aiding my sudden rush of thoughts.

Even though his mother's words weren't for me, I felt like they were something that I needed to hear.

Lately, I've been so caught up in enjoying the present that I haven't been thinking about the future.

More importantly, his future.

A future that I had no right being a part of.

My hand covered my mouth as tears first began to form.

Even despite how I lived now, it still often slipped my mind the tasks that Nico has to complete in order to move on with his life.

He was a prince and the firstborn to a Lord.

The only one who could take his place by the means of taking a wife.

A vampire.

That was it. There was no other way for him to accomplish what he was born in to.

It couldn't be me.

The thought hadn't even crossed my mind until now that I've been holding him back.

It never occurred to me that I was the base reason for the troubles that he's been having ever since we showed up.

Constant arguments about marriage from his father, constant activities that include him interacting with potential wives, and now a plea from his mother.

She wanted to see him happy. Happy with somebody who could stand by his side and lead this city.

I wanted that for him too.

And the now crystal clear fact that that person couldn't be me was tearing me apart.

I didn't want to be holding him back from finding someone who could actually have a bright future with him.

Someone who could give him all of the things that I physically can't.

Someone who he didn't have to keep a secret from his family.

He deserved all of that.

I bit down on my quivering lip as my tears finally spilled over.

I loved him but we weren't compatible in the long run.

And the smallest part of me told me that he already knew this.

Is this what he's been acting strange about?

I hadn't even realized that he was approaching me until I felt the weight beside me shift.

He sat with a long exhale and I soon after felt his hand resting around my shoulder.

Which somehow managed to break me even more.

"What are we doing, Nico?" I asked in a hoarse whisper, dropping my hand into my lap.

I felt sick by the fact that I shouldn't even be near him right now.

I felt like I was the reason all of this was happening to him.

"This doesn't change anything," He responded, in that same comforting tone he had whenever I was upset.

Except for this time, it had the opposite effect.

My hands bunched into fists as I tried to not completely burst right there and then.

Maybe it didn't change anything, but it cleared up an important fact for me.

That we cant work. Not in the long run.

And that it was important that he found someone that could work for him.

As well as the fact that he couldn't accomplish that if I was still with him.

I tried to swallow the lump in my throat, building up any remaining strength in my voice before I spoke the words that finally succeeded in breaking me.

"We should end this."

I couldn't even bear to look at his reaction.

I just squeezed my eyes shut, held myself by my arms and tried in vain to suppress and sobs that lifted from my throat.

The sudden tension in his hand and his silence told me enough.

I didn't want this to end. In fact, It's the absolute last thing I could ever think to want.

If it were up to me, I'd stay by his side until the day that I died.

But this situation wasn't about me.

I heard him draw in a trembling breath.

"Is that what you want?" He asked with certain anguish in his voice that I had never heard.

He would know that I would be lying if I said yes.

Lying didn't seem to be the best way to go about this anyways.

"No," I breathed out, having to physically restrain myself from leaning into him, "But that doesn't change the fact that this-"

I couldn't even finish the sentence.

I couldn't say out loud again that this needed to end.

My eyes opened slowly as he removed his hand from my shoulder.

"Is something that we can still figure this out," He finished for me.

I guess the fact that he still had hope for something that felt so out of reach for me caused me to snap.

"How?" I sniffled, finally turning to face him, "We have no future, Nico! I can't be your wife, I can't give you children, I can't be by your side while you lead! At this point, all it feels like I'm doing is holding you back and wasting your time."

The hurt look in his eyes caused me to look away again, my voice quieting.

"I want to be everything for you, but I can't and you deserve someone who can. You shouldn't be wasting your time on me. As much as I love you, Nico, I can't be what you want."

He didn't even hesitate.

"You're already everything that I want."

I looked back at him, dumbfounded

Did he just not get it?

How was he not getting this?!

"But your mother-"

"Would adore you," He cut in, effectively silencing me.

"She would love you, Khloe," He took a moment to wipe my tears, "Almost every part of what she said related back to you. You make me insanely happy and you keep me sane. With you around, I make clearer and more rational decisions regarding how I'd rule this place. You brighten my entire world and that's everything that my mother would want for me."

There was another moment of silence where we just looked at each other.

Even though his comforting words, there was still some underlying sadness.

It seemed like despite this there was still something completely different going on.

"Khloe I want to marry you."

My eyes widened almost immediately, not having been prepared at all for that statement.

"Nico..."

"I do," He began, a small sad smile sitting on his lips, "Not right now, but when I envision my future you're the only one I picture as holding that position in my life."

No... he was making this worse. He was making this so much harder than it already was.

His hand gently drew itself up and down my back.

"Nico I cant... No matter how much I want to, that still doesn't help the fact that I'm not a vampire."

I don't know what I was expecting, but it absolutely wasn't his next words.

"You could be."

I just stared in shock.

I didn't even think that was possible.

Luckily, he elaborated further.

"I've been looking into it for a while now. It's possible to turn a human into a vampire."

"H-How?" I sputtered out.

"That's the thing. It's possible and its relatively easy, but finding a Lord that would be willing to do it and never mention anything of it again is the hard part."

A Lord...

"But I'm more than willing to do whatever it would take if it means you could be mine eternally."

I couldn't imagine.

Finding a Lord that would be willing to make me one of them seemed impossible.

Yet he was willing if not anxious to do it.

Still, even with his positivity and hope, there was that unmistakable tone in his voice.

He was still hurting.

I scooted closer to him, finally allowing myself to lean against his body.

His arm wrapped around me again, holding me there.

"I can't imagine that will be an easy feat, Nico," I whispered, lightly gripping onto his shirt.

"I don't want easy. I just want you."

"Then why do you sound so despondent?" I finally asked.

It wasn't like him at all.

I wanted to know. No, I needed to know what was bothering him.

His shoulders slouched before his hand found mine.

"I have to make some tough decisions regarding us, Khloe," His voice was quieter, almost ragged.

"Why?"

Another quick silence, and another long breath.

"My father is after you."