Heart's Blood

Chapter 1

Rain is the youngest vampire of the court and has spent most of his life being ignored or overlooked. Not that Rain minds it gives him a freedom that none of the other children of the court enjoy, he can do what he wants when he wants and the only only price he pays is the disapproving looks of his elders. When Rain had come home with blue hair last week after spending the night out with his friends, his mother, the queen, had only rolled her eyes and turned back to speak with her advisors.

There are two types of vampires at the court, well at all courts really. One type is the turned vampires, those that were once humans but had been turned by drinking the blood from another vampire. These vampires are known as sired vampires. This practice is strictly controlled by the rulers of the courts to keep the vampire population from getting out of control. The other type are those that the kings and queens give birth to. These vampires are considered the princes and princesses of the court but are collectively known as the children of the court.

Not all the children of the court are children of Rain’s mother. There are over two hundred children of the court and most belong to the previous Kings and Queens. Although the human belief that vampires never age is false, vampires do age at less than a tenth of the rate of humans. Rain is nearing 210 but appears to humans to be a youth of about nineteen. He acts much like one too, spending his nights playing video games or partying with his friends, an odd mix of humans, turned vampires, and lycans. He almost always drags his best friend and lycan bodyguard Sky along with him. Sky is technically obligated to go anywhere Rain does, but Rain often has to beg him to go to parties with him. Sky hates social gatherings of all sorts. To Rain, social gatherings and spending the entire night playing video games with his friends is one of the best perks of being a vampire. He already sleeps all day and spends the nights awake, why not take advantage of that?

Rain wakes that evening to a troubling rumor. The rumor was that the queen is dying, that she has been poisoned by one of their enemies and their alchemists haven’t been able to find an antidote. Rain pales at the news, he isn’t particularly close to the woman. He is the youngest of her ten children and had been born a good hundred years after his nearest sister, but she is still his mother. Besides, she has never been unkind to him, just neglectful.

Rain tries to find out more information, but most of the talk is speculation on which of the children of the court will take her place as the next king or queen. This sort of talk doesn’t interest Rain much. He only hopes whoever it is will be a good leader and not try to interfere in his life. Rain himself isn't even in the running. A king or queen is chosen by their biology automatically changing to be able to produce children and control the lesser turned vampires. It is an evolutionary process that ensures survival of the species. The one chosen is always the one who has the best leadership qualities. That certainly isn’t Rain.

Rain is with Sky when the word comes that the queen has died and that all the children of the court will be required to present for testing to find out who will be the next queen or king.

The alchemists take blood and tissue samples from all of them to see whose DNA is in the process of changing. As the process goes on there will be physical signs but the DNA tests are the quickest way to find the new king or queen as soon as possible. It was important to name the new monarch so that the court will not be thrown into chaos due to uncertainty and fear.

Rain waits in the hall with the other children of the court for the announcement. He looks around mildly curious who will be their new leader, but not really interested in the politics of it all. His mind is on tonight because there is a party that he wants to attend. He isn’t feeling especially social right now but he hopes a night out with friends will improve his mood. Besides, he can bully Sky into going with him. Being with Sky makes everything more enjoyable. Plus his reactions to Rain’s bullying him to go out are always hilarious.