Obsessed

94 (Colby's POV)

Sam and I stepped forwards into the dimly lit area, noticing the walls were already lined with other vamps dressed in suits and ties, and elegant dresses.

"Um, we're here for the ceremony." I said, my gaze swinging from left to right, not sure who we were supposed to talk to or what we were supposed to do.

I saw someone walking towards me from the darkness of the long hallway. I nodded, realizing that it was Victoria.

"Sam, Colby." She said, nodding at both of us in turn. "We're glad that you could make it. This means that you are accepting your role as a Council member, correct? Because there is no going back once the ceremony is complete. You're in this for life."

Sam and I exchanged looks.

Were we ready for this?

For life? We both looked back to her at the same time and nodded.

"We understand." I replied.

"Good. Let's get started." She crooked her finger at us to follow her back to the front. "I am aware that you both have found your One, correct?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?" Sam asked, before I could.

"In this ceremony, you will be required to drink the blood of all the Council members mixed. Vampire blood is disgusting to us anyways, but even more so to the members who have found their One. Just warning you." She replied with a little smile.

"Oh God, that's gonna be so gross." I groaned. "Like, how much do we have to drink exactly?"

"Yeah, how much?" Sam joined in.

"Just a swallow from the goblet. It's in semblance to how we are joined as one to rule over, and protect the LA vampire community. Not enough to make you sick."

"Okay, we can handle that." Sam replied.

For the next 20 minutes, Victoria instructed us on where we would be standing, how to walk out, the cues from when we would drink or say our lines. Hopefully, we wouldn't screw up.

We were informed that we would be at the front of the line, directly behind Victoria and the other guy that had survived our little mishap.

"You will be in charge behind us. So, if we were to fall, or choose to die, the Council will belong to you two."

Sam and I were in complete shock at that.

"Isn't there someone more qualified for that responsibility?" I asked, running my hand through my hair, forgetting that I had styled it.

She shook her head.

"You are qualified enough. You have ran the largest vampire clan for the past few years and done an amazing job...besides the last little part, with everything that happened. Your only mistake was not informing the Council. However, you felt that you couldn't trust us and after what happened with Hillmond, I'm inclined to overlook that transgression. Do you accept the responsibility?"

I looked questioningly at Sam, wanting his opinion.

He shrugged and smiled.

"It's us against the world right? We got this."

I smiled and shook my head at him. "If you say so." I said, before looking back at Victoria. "Guess we're in."

She smiled. "Good. Happy to hear it. It's time."

We stood in line, two to a row, Sam and I behind Victoria and the other guy, the other new Council members falling in line behind us.

I should probably learn the other guy's name, before I had to just call "hey you," or something equally bad.

A low thrumming music started, and we began to walk. When the doors were opened again, my eyes automatically found Choe's. The look on her face was absolute pride and love.

I really didn't deserve her. For whatever reason God, or whatever higher power, had decided that I was good enough for her, I would be forever grateful. She looked like she wanted to clap repetitively, with the way she was bouncing in her seat.

I gave her a smile and a slight shake of my head. It was supposed to be silent right now. Mike put his hand on her arm, grinning at how happy she was, before he looked at me rolling his eyes.

He was trying to tell her to calm down, but I didn't think it was working. She brushed him off and continued to bounce in her seat. I wouldn't be surprised if she started cheering and yelling our names in a few minutes.

We formed a circle with the other members, towards the front of the room, around an emblem that was carved into the center of the floor. It kind of reminded me of a drawing of King Arthur's Round Table, only it had the usual vampiric symbols carved into the seat areas. In the middle of the table was a circle made of a combination of vampiric symbols that circled it. Kind of cool.

The ceremony started, with Victoria leading it, the other guy occasionally speaking.

"Do you accept this responsibility and swear your allegiance to our cause for the rest of your undead life?"

We all replied "Yes, High Council, we swear."

She smiled at us, like a mom that saw her child complete a chore. "Edmond, the dagger and goblet please."

The guy pulled out a dagger and a golden goblet that had the same design etched into it as the floor. So Edmond was his name. I could remember that.

Victoria took the dagger from him, and proceeded to drag it across his palm. He raised the goblet to the blood dripping down and let it flow into the glass. Next she did her own palm and the same process was repeated.

I was next. The metal slicing into my skin didn't really bother me, since we had pretty much gotten used to the superficial cuts over the years. Next was Sam, and then the rest, as she walked around the circle collecting all of our blood into this goblet.

I took a chance and glanced over to Chloe really quick.