Court of Ivy and Desire

Pure Blood

Maya

I took a deep breath. I wasn't sure if I wanted to talk about my life. As the Princess of Ivy Court, I was a pure blood vampire. I looked at Trey, who was waiting on me to speak. He was so different, caring and curious. Although I knew he hated vampires, he's been nothing but kind to me. I guess we were similar in that aspect. I hated humans but I immediately defended him when these unknown vampires attacked us. "As you know, I am a vampire—a pure blood. I was born this way. My life for the most part was good, with the exception of some forms of discrimination and societal politics. My family was my everything. We served our kingdom well. Our people was treated fairly even in the midst of challenges that tried to prevent us from being in a higher society."

"What happened to your family?" Trey wondered.

"My parents were always loving parents. Their sudden deaths took me by surprise leaving me with the only family member that I was responsible to take care of, my little brother, Malcolm. He was only eight when they died and I was twelve. We had servers and a nanny that cared for us. They were our family. Malcolm was so smart. He-" I paused, trying not to tear up. I couldn't let Trey see me so vulnerable. He grabbed my hand and my eyes traveled down to see his hand on top of mine. I didn't want to think to much about it , but the comforting sensation it brought me made me smile.

Trey listened intently, his eyes focused on mine as I changed the subject. "The pure blood linage has been in my family for generations. We're not like the ones that everyone imagine. We don't turn into bats or sleep in coffins and we also have a heart that beats. Only the ones that's been turned don't have one because technically they died and was resurrected by vampire blood. However, we do have certain abilities, heightened senses, and a need for... sustenance. We can also eat food, drink regular beverages, and the stigma on garlic and the sun is bullshit." I laughed at the thought of it.

He chuckled before his expression changed. "Have you killed anyone before the war?"

I shook my head. "No. Granted, we'd drink from humans and animals, but I never killed anyone to get it. We had humans who would donate blood at one of our centers here in Ivy Court.  I only took what I needed from willing donors and I've learned to control my urges over the years. In fact, it was my that father taught my brother and I at a young age about how intense our cravings can be. They volunteered and we would compensate them for it." Before the war, humans and other species lived among each other in peace. There was no animosity between us. I had friends who were humans and they didn't make me feel any different. My first boyfriend was a human but when his parents found out what I was, they forced him to end things between us. That was my first relationship heartbreak.

Trey tentatively nodded. "How long have you been... alive?"

I scoffed at the question. I stopped aging many centuries ago. "A very long time, Trey."

He frowned and then shook his head as if he was stopping himself to ask a question that I wasn't ready to answer. I wasn't ready to accept it. To my surprise, he smiled.

"Thank you for telling me about your linage." He looked conflicted and I wanted to ask him what was wrong. I wondered if I said something that may have triggered him.

"What about your family, Trey? You said that you had a normal life at one point."

He leaned back and let out a breath, "Just like you, my parents died when I was young. They were killed in a plane crash and for a long time, I was afraid to fly. I was an only child. I stayed with my aunt and uncle until I was old enough to be on my own and then I was enlisted in the military."

I remained quiet for a while, thinking about how our lives were so different, yet the same. We both just wanted to live. Why did the war happen? What was the goal?