Chapitre 3: ### **Chapter 3: The Hunger Awakens (Continued)**
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I had avoided it for as long as I could, but it was now undeniable. The hunger was rising, clawing at my insides, demanding attention.
It was more than a thirst for blood. It was an insatiable need to feed, a hunger that was deeper and darker than anything I had ever felt in my previous life. My heart beat faster as I felt the primal pull. I knew what it meant, what I had to do to silence the beast inside me.
I closed my eyes, focusing all my energy on controlling the urge. I was Klaus, yes—but I was also notKlaus. I wasn't bound by his history. I wasn't confined to the same cycles of pain and violence that had shaped him over the centuries.
But the hunger? That was something else.
It was as if I could feel every pulse of blood in the city—each beat of a heart, each breath of a human, calling to me. I was attuned to it in ways I couldn't explain. Every heartbeat, every movement, was amplified. I could feel the warmth of their blood even if they were miles away.
And that was the problem.
I could easily give in. Surrender to it. Let the monster out. But I wasn't sure I was ready for that yet. I wasn't sure I wanted to be like Klaus.
But the hunger… it didn't care.
I was its prisoner, just as Klaus had always been
I stood frozen, the hunger raging inside me like a wildfire, scorching every rational thought. It wasn't just a thirst—it was *demanding*, insistent. The vampire inside me, Klaus's legacy, was telling me I *needed* to feed. It wasn't an option; it was a primal necessity.
I could feel the heartbeat of every living thing around me, even those that were miles away. The rhythm, like a drumbeat, pulled at me, beckoning me to take what I was owed. Every pulse of blood, every sigh of breath—it was intoxicating. There was a seductive power in it, a temptation that made my mouth water, made my hands tremble.
I tried to control it. I could *feel* Klaus's influence, his memories, urging me to embrace the hunger, to hunt, to take. After all, Klaus had never fought this need. He had fed when he wanted to, killed when he needed to, and lived in the knowledge that nothing could stop him. He was the Original Hybrid, untouchable, all-powerful.
But I wasn't sure I was ready for that. I had never been a killer.
I had never taken a life without cause. But Klaus? He had never hesitated, never questioned his actions. I wasn't him.
I wasn't sure I could become him.
I ran my hand through my hair, my breath shallow as I struggled to maintain some control. It wasn't supposed to be this hard. I was supposed to be able to manage this—*I was* Klaus, after all. But something was different. Something about this body, this mind, didn't feel entirely *mine*. I wasn't sure if it was the memories of his past that were confusing me, or if I had simply underestimated the depths of his darkness.
The hunger surged again, this time sharper, more acute. My fangs extended without my consent, the sharp tips pressing into the inside of my lips. A soft growl escaped me as my vision sharpened, the world around me shifting as my senses intensified. Every scent, every sound, every heartbeat, louder than ever before. I could even hear the faintest movement of a mouse in the walls.
It was too much.
I grabbed the nearest object, an old glass vase, and hurled it across the room. It shattered against the stone wall, the sound echoing throughout the house.
But it didn't help. The hunger was still there. And now, it was only growing.
I ran a hand across my face, trying to center myself. The *bloodlust*—it was suffocating. There was no escape from it, no way to run. And every second that passed, it grew more desperate, more consuming.
*Feed.*
The word echoed through my mind like a mantra, an unyielding command. It wasn't just Klaus's voice. It was *mine*, too.
I was *Klaus*—and I had the power to claim what I wanted.
I turned toward the window, my sharp eyes focusing on the distant city. New Orleans, the place where Klaus had ruled with an iron fist. The city was alive with the pulse of human life. The streets teemed with people, with blood. There were plenty to choose from. I could have anyone. And no one would stop me.
No one could.
But *should* I?
I closed my eyes, fighting against the temptation, trying to recall some semblance of who I was before this—before I became Klaus. I didn't want to be the monster. I didn't want to give in to this. The primal instinct, the need to feed, was all-consuming, and yet… I didn't want to *enjoy* it.
But every part of me screamed for it.
"Master Klaus?" The voice broke my concentration. I turned to find Hayley standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with a mix of concern and wariness.
Her gaze swept over me, her expression softening slightly, but there was something else there—something I couldn't quite place.
"I—I didn't mean to disturb you," she continued, stepping into the room hesitantly. "But you've been pacing for hours now, and I... well, I thought you might need some rest."
I tried to force a smile, to project the confidence and calm that Klaus always did, but it came out strained. My fangs were still extended, and the air around me was thick with tension, the hunger boiling just beneath the surface.
"I'm fine," I managed, my voice hoarse, but still carrying the authority Klaus had mastered over the years. "I just need to think."
She didn't seem convinced, but she said nothing as she approached. "Is there anything I can do? You're not yourself today, Klaus. Something's wrong. I can feel it."
Her words cut through the fog in my mind like a blade. Was it really that obvious? Could she tell just by looking at me that something was deeply, horribly wrong?
I could feel my fangs retract as I fought for control, but the temptation still loomed just beneath the surface. I knew what Klaus would do in this situation—he would lie. He would put on the mask, play the role, and pretend nothing was wrong.
But I wasn't sure I could. Not anymore.
I looked at her—really looked at her—and for the first time since I had been reborn as Klaus, I felt a flicker of something. Not hunger. Not the cold, detached feeling that had once ruled his heart. But something else. Something I couldn't name.
"Hayley," I began, my voice low, "you don't understand. There's… something inside me. Something that *wants* to take over."
Her eyes softened, and she stepped closer, concern etched across her features. "What do you mean? You're not yourself. We've been through this before, Klaus. You don't have to fight it alone."
I swallowed, fighting to maintain my composure. "It's not that simple. The hunger… it's not just something I can control anymore. It's a part of me now, a part of this… *thing* I've become."
She paused, studying me for a long moment. Then, in a voice as soft as a whisper, she said, "You don't have to do this alone. You're not him. You don't have to carry his burden. You can choose differently."
Her words struck me hard. Could I? Could I truly choose a different path? Could I resist the pull of Klaus's nature and carve out a new identity for myself?
The hunger roared inside me again, louder than before, but for the first time since my rebirth, I realized something: I didn't have to be Klaus.
I could fight this.
I wasn't *just* the monster Klaus had been. I didn't have to embrace his darkness.
But the hunger… it would always be a part of me. That was something I couldn't ignore.
"Thank you, Hayley," I said quietly, a sense of relief washing over me. Maybe it wasn't too late. Maybe I could still choose the kind of person I wanted to be.
I was Klaus, yes. But I didn't have to be his *shadow*.
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone