A Different Path

Chapter One

The mist hung delicately outside the window, a silent observer of the young girl within. Unseen, it watched as she stood before an easel, her back turned to the window. The nearby lamp cast a warm, golden glow on her paints and brushes while twilight slowly enveloped the room.

"Anna, it's time for dinner," a woman's voice called. Anna mumbled a response and turned towards the window briefly revealing a youthful face verging on adolescence. She hesitated, then discarded her unfinished painting onto a growing pile, switched off the lamp, and hurriedly left the room.

The mist seeped through a crack in the window frame, transforming into a young woman. Silently, Felicity retrieved Anna's discarded artwork from the corner and carefully smoothed it out on the table as she examined it.

Anna showed promising talent—the proportions were exquisite, the composition well-balanced, capturing the ethereal shimmer of light filtering through the surrounding grove. It was evident that the girl had poured her heart into this piece. However, there was still work to be done on perspective. Anna was overthinking it.

Felicity reached for a pencil to make a notation when she heard footsteps coming. Anna had forgotten something. Felicity would have to make her notes and suggestions elsewhere, returning the painting tomorrow. Rolling it loosely, she slid open the window, slipping back into the night sky.

The wind tousled her hair and clothes as she glided through the air, before descending into her secret glade—a sanctuary where she sought solace from the frustrations of her own family or when solitude was needed.

For hours, she worked contentedly, jotting down notes and suggestions for Anna on a piece of paper from the hidden cache she kept in a small cave. Tomorrow, she would attach the note to the painting before returning them both. Felicity longed to openly discuss Anna's art or share with her the grandeur of the hidden castle's artwork, but neither option was feasible. Instead, she became Anna's secret artistic mentor—the girl's "Art Angel." Through discreet notes, Felicity passed down centuries' worth of artistic knowledge, forging an unbreakable bond shrouded in enchanting secrecy.

Anna was her own harshest critic, constantly pushing herself, but her efforts were yielding results. Felicity unconsciously nodded in approval. The young girl possessed the potential to become a remarkable artist—a talent too exceptional to be confined within the narrow confines of her hometown. Felicity leaned back against a tree trunk, tapping her lips thoughtfully with a finger. There had to be a way to send the girl to a prestigious art school in a bustling city—far away from Vereistenwald.

Harmony would have been able to help. Once again, Felicity pondered the whereabouts of her aunt. Harmony had vanished almost a century ago, and nobody spoke of her anymore. It was as if she had been erased from existence. Felicity couldn't erase the memories of her beautiful, fiery-haired aunt—the one who ignited her passion for art. She wondered if Harmony had sought refuge in a big city, perhaps attending an art school and making a name for herself as an artist. Maybe Felicity could find her and they could help Anna together.

There was a cry from above calling her name.

"I'm coming." Felicity sighed stood up and stretched. She needed to stop dwelling on the past and focus on the present. Anna's future was what mattered now. Felicity folded the note she had written and pinned it to the painting before tucking it under her arm and taking off into the sky.

She flew swiftly through the night, avoiding the occasional bat, until she reached three other young vampires gliding over the moonlit clouds. The air was tranquil up here, and warm.

"Thank Hades we're going to Mittleberg tonight," one of the three said. "We haven't fed in days. It's one thing to be on a civilized schedule, as your father puts it, Felicity, but he's not growing anymore."

Mittleberg! So right back to where she had come from. Felicity hovered briefly, undecided. It was better if she was there. Especially since her brother, Gerhardt, and his friends would also be there.

They gracefully curved through the night air, and Felicity reflected on Mittleberg. Her father had called the town a model community, a glimpse into the future. It represented what could happen if vampires and humans—the Herd, as they were called—learned to coexist peacefully. But the Covenant dictated that vampires could only visit twice a month. In return, the Herd received protection and a tranquil existence, free to pursue their daily lives and prosper. Her father took pride in his initiative.

The rooftops of the town emerged from the darkness as the vampires descended lower. A few windows emanated a warm glow from lamplight as Felicity's feet touched the cobblestones in the main square. Her hair swirled around her shoulders and settled like a cascade of silk down her back. There were no shutters or barred doors here, unlike other communities in Vereistenwald governed by different vampire clans. The people of Mittleberg had traded fear for security—but at a price.

Felicity stood in the centre of the town square, surveying all the improvements her father had brought to this place. To her right stood the imposing town hall with its majestic clock tower. To her left stood the town church adorned with statuary that encircled its perimeter and a bell tower that soared into the skies. Her father had funded both structures, as well as the park that lay before her. Looking around, she acknowledged his immense generosity.

He had also contributed funds for the local hospital, the town library, and the school just a block away. Her family's wealth accumulated over centuries from their land holdings, and her father wanted to use this fortune to benefit the community.

Taking a deep breath, Felicity felt proud of what her family had accomplished for this town. It was no wonder everyone here held her father in such high regard, despite their wariness due to his position as one of the most powerful vampires in the country.

She had a few minutes to spare, she decided. Walking past a few shops, she stumbled upon a small gallery at one end of Main Street that appeared relatively quiet at this late hour. Perhaps this could be Anna's opportunity to find her artistic identity? With anticipation, Felicity pushed open the door and stepped inside to explore the artworks on display.

The bell began to toll.