Of Vampire

8

Everything about the castle is stunning, from the marbled floor to the stone walls and black out curtains. Despite how much I just wanted to ogle at the place, Dutch had us walking at a fast pace to the thrown room. We are stopped in front of a large set of engraved wooden doors.

Dutch looks back at us before making a hand motion and the doors open showing a large oval shaped room. The room is mostly empty but if you look close enough it can be seen where they put pew or chairs. On the opposite room is a set of stairs that leads to a platform with a large, intimidating throne. It seems to be small but elegant branches to rose bush. I assume a rose bush due to the thorn like designs. It swirls out on the top showing a large raven with a crown on its head. The chair itself is black. A smaller, more elegant chair, one with roses on it, sets to its left and back from it while an almost bare one on the right. Emperor  Kronos, or who I assume is him due to him being in the intimidating throne, stares down at us with his bright silver eyes.

"Uther," the Emperor says, his voice is one that is so deep it naturally echos. It has a short of chilling effect to it, showing his authority to those who even get the slightest whisper of it.

Uther puts his right hand on his left shoulder before dragging it across his chest to the right before holding his hand out while bowing. The others do it as well so I copy what they do, staying in my bowed position until the rest stand up straight. The emperor watches with his hawk-like gaze and his lips pressed into a thin line. It seems as if he is judging us.

"What is this I hear about a prisoner?"

"My newest daughter was kidnapped by some unfaithful, they intended for her to turn against you, your imperial highness, she was drained and still refused to turn. She was able to subdue the prisoner as a gift for you," Uther briefly explains. The Emperor turns his silver eyes on me with a critical look.

I watch as he studies over every inch of my body like he's looking for some clue. A black crown with red gems rests upon his dark hair, the gems catching light whenever he tilts his head. He lets the tips of his fangs show in a spine shivering grin. "Is that true youngling?" He ask though it sounds rather teasingly. Youngling is a new term ive heard someone use to reference me but from what Uther has said this is one of the oldest vampire alive.

"Yes, your Imperial Majesty."

He tilts his head in the other direction while narrowing his eyes and licking his bottom lip. Where I find this quite terrifying, the woman sitting in the chair to his left seems to
Have the opposite reaction. He lets out a small hum of wonder while gripping the hand rests of his throne. "Where do your loyalties lie, daughter of Uther?"

"With you."

"You wouldn't mind proving that would you?"

"Of course not," I answer unsure of what he is getting at. Something in me feels like he's just toying with me, like he wants to see how far he can push me without actually doing anything.

"Kronos, Love," the woman warns lowly. He turns his gaze to Uther then to a guard.

"Fetch me Caitlyn. Uther and your family are to retire to your room without Vanya."

"What wi-"

"She will be returned and just fine Uther. Now go," he orders. Uther gives me one last worried look before ushering everyone else out. He mutters to another guard who then leaves the room. He turns towards the woman and motions her to him. "Mara, you are dismissed. I believe you owe our little prince story time."

She sends him a dirty look with her silver eyes before turning away from him and gliding out of the room. As she leaves a blue haired woman waltz in wearing what seems to be work out clothes. "And what is it now Emperor?" She sasses standing by me. Just by the sound of her heart I can tell she is a living being but she isn't just human.

"Caitlyn, this is Vanya a youngling who has been through a kidnapping by some unfaithful. I want to do a memory feeding," he says while standing up. I can feel my stomach drop but it isn't because of his words, which confuse me, but his height. As a short woman I've always had to look up at people but this man has to to borderline six foot five.

"A memory feeding? You know that'll-"

"I've already made arrangements. Will you do it?"

Caitlyn rolls her dark eyes while shrugging. "I don't really have a choice either way," she mutter turning towards me. Once the emperor reaches us she pricks his finger and rubs it across my face making patterns.

"What are you doing?"

"I will feed from you while she casts a spell so that I can see your memories. It won't hurt, it won't be like draining and I'll let you feast afterwards if I like what I see," he explains. I just nod my head not trusting my voice. This man terrifies me.

Caitlyn starts to mutter some unfamiliar words before grabbing my hand and holding it up to the emperor. He takes it and sinks his fangs deeply into my wrist. The initial bite feels mostly like being stabbed with a large needle but the feeling is quickly drowned out as that nights events seem to flash before me like some kind of movie.

Oh, how I desperately want to scream at myself to trust my gut. I get to see the pathetic fight in the alleyway and the start of me waking once again. Man buns voice floats through my head, his pleading words for me to turn against the emperor, his scream of surprise when I bit his thumb off, and his sad look when he had to get his brother. Watching these memories seems to enhance the invite ordeal. I taste the brothers blood pouring down my throat before I rip the chunk out. I can hear Uthers surprised gasp once he heard me speak.

I get to relive me going back to the brother to finish off his blood, feeling that horrid burn in my throat and wanting to get rid of it. I get the feeling of needing to drink his blood, knowing that he was my own kind. I can even feel the slight desire I have from it. It didn't bother me to drink his blood, I loved how it made me feel.

A wave of dizziness pulls me back to the current world where I find myself laying on the ground with the Emperor kneeling beside me. The whites of his eyes are now black, indicating a recent feeding. Obviously from me. "You're a violent one aren't you?" He asks narrowing his eyes at me.

Instead of answering I stare back at him not knowing what to say or do. "I like that. People are pansies nowadays," he adds before calling out to the guard who drags in a woman and a man. "I advise you not to tell anyone else about what you did. It's not against the law, obviously, but it is looked down upon in most cases."

"Is there anything else?" I whisper.

"Your loyalty will be repaid Vanya. I have a feeling that we will be seeing a lot of one another. Now feed," he says motioning to the humans. The fire of thirst burns in my throat encouraging me to leap at the woman and sink my fangs into her neck with only one thought in my mind. What does he mean by that?