Tattooed Vampires

Chapter One

*This story is under heavy editing, it picks up after a few chapters, don't worry ☺️*
——

I am nearly a millennium years old, 999 to be exact. In less than a week, there will be a ball. That is where I will find my beloved. A beloved is a soulmate with much deeper connections. Some vampires find their beloved early, while the unfortunate ones find them in the later centuries. My family has a knack for finding their soulmate on their thousandth birthday. Only a few ancestors actually found theirs early. My bloodline is greater than ancient. Vampires appeared right around where humans first started evolving. One human ate some sort of animal. An old, extinct one. Then, she birthed a vampire and died shortly after. This vampire was known as "The Great One". Her name is also Selene, the Moon Goddess and Goddess of Vampires. Nobody has seen her since she had her first born.

I am one of four offspring from my parents. Oldest, heir to the throne. I'm very well-known for having three younger brothers who are slowly maturing, so I'm left to babysit them and care for them as much as I can before my parents or teachers take over. Because I'm the oldest and I know how to handle myself, my parents granted me a part of the castle that nobody was permitted to be in except immediate family for my, I'd say, 800th birthday. When my brothers come of age, they'll be gifted the same. Equal share.

Every 6 months there's a ball, permitting un-mated supernatural creatures as of ages 16 years and older go to find their mates, if they can. The ball invites all sorts of creatures, from ogres to fairies to either find a true love if their kind permits it, or to go to meet new people. Unofficially, this ball is also to have fun. In no way shape or form, is it mandatory. That's what I'm grateful for. Going to the balls give me heavy anxiety.

I've only been to the ball a few times, I don't love it. Most of the time I'll go if my favorite cousins are also going. I don't wanna find my mate until I'm at least a millennium years old - it just seems fair to honor family "tradition", even if my beloved is already out there.

I sit up from my bed and place my feet inside of my black fluffy slippers. I stand up and walk to the bathroom, not bothering to make my bed. I stand in front of the marble sink and stare into the mirror, just as I do what feels like every morning, my silky black hair falling onto my face gently and a sullen gaze with brown doe eyes stares right back. My pale skin glistens gently and my fine nose and full lips bring my features together. My eyes trail down my arms and body, seeing my many tattoos that I keep hidden so my appearance isn't "completely ruined", as my parents say. Keeping them hidden isn't hard, it's trying to convince my parents that it's not unprofessional or unladylike that makes it so tough for them to truly accept me.

I step away from the sink and into the shower, kicking off my sandals and slipping off my clothes as well. Contrary to what people might think, vampires love being warm. I set the water to hot, where the steam starts to rise. I live for the feeling of the way that heat just engulfs you, like a hug.

In the shower, I think. I pray that my beloved is at least of royal blood, or I'll have to marry someone else who is also worthy of the the throne. But alas, In a weeks time, I will have to find my beloved. And if I don't, i'll wait until the next month. And hopefully, many months to come.

Due to my hearing, I hear small footsteps making their way to my room followed by a few quiet knocks. I step out of the shower and then turn off the water, wrapping a towel around myself. I leave wet footprints on the floor as I walk to the door. Standing in front of it, my flat voice sounds, "Enter."

The mahogany doors open up slowly, with a small grunt from a fledgling vampire maid. "Your mother has asked me to fetch you, your majesty." The girl says confidently. I standover her at an awkward 5'10. "Thank you, anything else?" I say. She shakes her head. As a dismissal, I raise my palm slightly in the air to her and the doors are closed and I'm left alone again.

I drop the towel and put on undergarments quickly, putting on a black fitted gown with long sleeves. To match my pale skin, I put on a silver belt and a pair of random silver earrings. After all, a princess must dress the part.