The Vampire's Bride

Chapter 1

Iris sat quietly, watching her father write. Alex always frowned when he wrote. She'd barely seen him smile in her seventeen years alive.

He was published as both a poet and an author. Nobels and royals loved his works, works that spoke of a lost love. Even though he had the money to, he never left his farm. Iris would never understand why.

Her mother had died in childbirth seventeen years ago, and the impact on her father was clear. Alex solidly refused to speak about her whenever Iris asked. The only information she ever recieved was from his poems. He had loved her very much.

Iris looked up as their black german shepherd, Kova, limped into the room. The dog had come to them when Iris was three, greatly injured and very tired. Her father, being the man he was, took the dog in. The hound occasionally walked with a limp, but was still fast and enjoyed herding the sheep outside greatly.

"Iris," her father said. The girl looked up at the tired face of the man. He was nearly fourty now, yet with the grey streaks in his blond hair, he looked nearly fifty. "Will you go into town and pick up bandages, cloths and things?"

"Yes," she said, rising from the floor. Kova looked at her and immediately followed her out of the room. He always followed her, always protected her. They both understood why her father had ushered them from the room. Alex often needed alone time when he was writing. Iris knew it was because he didn't want her to see him break. But she knew the truth. She knew he would bury his face in his hands and grip his hair. Even after all these years, his grief clung to him like a spiked net

She looked in the cracked mirror as she passed it.

Iris always hoped that she looked like her mother. She knew that was where she had gotten her silver eyes, but everything else about her mother's appearance was unknown to her. She didn't even know her mother's name.

She had a vision of what her mother was, a beautiful, smiling woman with a lovely singing voice and a kind, pure heart: an angel in her own regard.

Iris stepped out onto the dirt outside of the house, humming as she walked. Kova silently followed behind her, his muscular shoulders moving in smooth rhythm. She held her hands behind her back, her walk slightly bouncing as she followed the path into the bustling town.

Flowers were everywhere, bunches of feathers tied up on the corner of every house.

The entire town was preparing for the Day of the Doves. Every year, if they wished it, sixteen year old girls and older could enter. All you had to have was your virginity, and your family was wealthily compensated for mere participation.

The girls would stand in a line, and nobels and wealthy men who wanted brides either for themselves or their heirs. Every girl was always picked, and they never came back.

Iris never participated, as her family had never needed any money. The thought of finding love, however, was very intriguing. She wished to participate, but Alex strongly refused, insisting that she could find a boy just fine without offering herself on a platter. Of course, the boys in town were all either dirty or nasty to her.

Holding the white cloths in her hand, she passed the old merchant a few silvers as payment. Iris smiled at the woman as she turned away, sneezing as a gust of feathers flew into her face. She waved at them, cringing when she realized they were stuck to her skin. She went to peel the feathers off, freezing when she saw them stained dark red. Was that... was that blood? No, it couldn't be, who would... who was...?

Iris looked in the direction of the feather's arrival and ran towards it, holding the cloths in her arms. Was someone hurt? Her cotton dress billowed around her as she ran. The wind that carried the feathers began to carry the sounds of screams as well. Iris's heart started to pound. What was happening in there?