Unsalted Cashews

Chapter 13- My Home

Dan led me by the hand around the truck. We were in a dark tunnel, lit up with yellow lights near the ground, our footsteps echoing as we made our way through.
We reached a narrow staircase on the wall, and Dan let go of my hand and let me go first. I kinda wished he had held on.
The dark wasn't a problem for me, but I was still relieved when I could see a light shining through a slightly-ajar door. I hurried up the steps and waited for Dan to catch up with me. He pushed open the door and beckoned me to follow.
We walked into a hallway with wood floors and floral wallpaper, which was not what I expected at all. Dan took the lead, his combat boots making dull thumps as he quickly paced down the length of the hallway. I had to half-jog to catch up to him.
"Where are we?" I asked as we reached a door with an electronic lock and a keypad.
"The garage." Dan says while punching in a number code too fast for me to catch.
"The garage for what?" The door clicks open and Dan pushes open the door.
"The Lichden, our home." Dan says, turning his body sideways so I could step past him and into the doorway.
The room enormous, I could barely see the ceiling from the ground floor. There was a gigantic and really extra crystal chandelier that hung down, flooding the room with warm light from the lightbulbs within. Each corner of the room were decorated with giant wood columns, with some people sitting on the cushioned base, and balconies wrapped around most of the length of room. The floor was marble, but a lush carpet lied on the floor in the middle.
I could tell that we didn't enter through the main door because one wall held a pair of giant double door that were glass paneled with gold filigree winding around it. I wondered how people regularly came in and out with doors that big when I noticed someone enter through a normal sized door on the side.
Opposite the door was a giant staircase, where a bunch of people with black hair and pale skin lounged.
One of them noticed us and stood up, causing the others to pick up on us as well. There was a shout, and then even more vampires came out. They flooded the balconies, came out from side doors and came down the stairs.
The vampire that first spotted us made his way down towards us. Dan shifted his body in front of me.
"So, you're the new princess?" The vampire stated more than questioned. I couldn't answer because even more vampires came and crowded around us. I saw a few greet Dan, which he responded tersely to. I noticed that most of the vampires had dark hair, through there were a few brunettes and just a few blonds and gingers.
I took a step back from the crowd as they were coming uncomfortably close.
A vampire grabbed my arm. "Blue eyes? So a half-breed then." I blinked, to stunned to say anything. When they were this close, I saw that the vampires all had red eyes. Then why did Dan have blue eyes like me?
Dan wrenched the vampire's arm off of me. "Hey! Watch it"
The vampire sneered. "Don't tell me what to do you-" the vampire was cut off when suddenly everyone grew quiet.
I heard the faint clacking of heels echoing through the large room. One by one, all the vampires started to bow, bending at their waist. Even Dan bowed.
I craned my neck to see a tall woman making her way slowly down the stairs.
She had pitch black hair that was tied in a bun, and crow's feet bordered her red eyes. The wrinkles didn't detach from her obvious beauty however. Her appearance reminded me of someone but I couldn't put my finger on who.
"The new princess... Irabella, is it?"
"Um, actually, I go by Elle." I say, my voice awkwardly echoing in the main hall.
The woman let out a small huff of amusement, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Follow me. You too, Reven." She turned and walked across the room, then left out a large hallway.
Reven was Dan's last name, so I turned to look at him. He was standing up straight again. He cocked an eyebrow at me and walked through the same part in the crowd that the woman had walked through, though now everyone were regaining their voices. By the time we crossed the room the columns was at a roar.
"Who was that?" I ask Dan when we hurried into the hallway.
"Our regent monarch, Queen Mirela Vanrindé." He looked at me over his shoulder. "Your aunt on your dad's side."
I was silent, mostly because I was a little stunned that I had a family I had never knew about.
Dan led me down the hall to another set of tall double doors. There was a single guard standing watch, his hat obscured his eyes. He opened the doors and let us inside, nodding at Dan when he passed and even though I couldn't see it, I could feel his gaze on me.
Mirela was standing behind a large mahogany desk, the floor in front carpeted with a lush rug. Her back was turned to us, instead looking out a window covered with a dark, translucent veil.
Honestly, I was expecting her to be seated on a throne or something, since she's the "queen".
When the door closed, Mirela turned towards me. Her gaze made me uncomfortable, and I turned to see Dan to reassure myself. He was standing behind me and gave me a cocked eyebrow, and I turned back around. The silence dragged on for a minute before I realized that Mirela wanted me to go first.
"So... What is this place exactly?"
I could see something flicker in Mirela's eyes, though her face was stony.
"You are in the Lichden, which is the only standing palace for vampires." Mirela explains. She walks out from behind the desk. She's wearing what looks like a pantsuit, but way more elegant.
"All vampires live here? In one castle?" I ask.
"Yes," She curtly answers. Mirela's eyes scan me up and down. I tug awkwardly at my t-shirt, only now realising that I look like a mess. "Do you know why you're here?" She says suddenly, making me jump a little.
"Um..."
"In our royal family, successors are chosen by order of birth, but one can change that with battle. My younger brother of two years fought against me when he was of age and won." Mirela broke her stare and started to pace in front of me. "He became king, and had you before he died. That makes you the rightful heir to the throne."
I kicked my lips. "I'm, the queen?"
"Not yet, and not entirely." Mirela stopped in front of me and gave me a steely look, her voice sounding menacing. I could hear Dan shift behind me. "How old are you, Irabella?" She spat out my name.
"Seventeen," I say meekly.
"An heir can only claim their throne when they are eighteen, and they can also be challenged for the throne by members of the royal family who are also eighteen." Mirela leans in. "You haven't met your cousin, have you?" The words haven't sunk in before she started again. "My younger brother stole my birthright from me, and I won't let it go now."
"If my father could beat you, than maybe you aren't deserving of the throne!" I say before stopping myself. Mirela freezes. She smirks, before turning around and walking towards the desk again. She sits down in the chair and laces her fingers together.
"Consider it a mercy I'm keeping you alive. You'll serve to prove that my bloodline is now superior to my wretched brother's. Besides, the Lichden would never accept a half-breed." Mirela narrows her eyes at me, before flicking her wrist. "Reven, take the 'princess' to her quarters, where she will stay until called upon. Her meals will be delivered to her. I'm assigning you as her personal guard, do not fail," She dismisses us.
I turn around, and Dan has a strange look on his face. He gives me a nod and starts to walk out, I quickly follow him out of the room, my back prickling from the queen's gaze.