Page 15 of Vivian

CHAPTER 8 – Viv

The vampire court was everything and nothing like I imagined. The opulence and beauty surpassed the hive mansion by leaps and bounds. There were servants, and of course, by that, I do mean the drones, littered almost every corner.

The main difference here was that the drones looked at the vampires with such lust that it kind of creeped me out. But that was nothing compared to the members of the court. We met dozens upon dozens of vampires. The fact that nobody was truly very old struck me as strange.

Ace had said that vampires quit aging, if we were speaking in human years, around late twenties to early thirties. It explained why the Queen of Doom was so young looking as well as everyone else I had met.

There were a few people who stood out. The Duke of Draven, who goes by the name of Malcolm, demanded that we pay deference to him. I slipped into a low curtsey, that was only partly dodgy, and felt proud that I didn’t end up on my ass.

I didn’t like him upon sight. Malcolm’s hair was white blonde, and he seemed slippery, much like the boy from Slytherin that gave Harry such problems.

I did as I was told, but Ace and Brendon were not as compliant. Later I learned that it is customary if someone is of lower birth that one nod upon meeting.

Ace and myself are obviously of lower birth, but Brendon’s mother is a Queen, and therefore, that makes him a prince. Granted, a prince of a coven wasn’t the same as a prince in the royal court. However, a coven prince was higher born than a Duke.

Malcolm wasn’t the only person who gave me a bad vibe. There were also the triplets Adrian, Aldon, and Abel. They looked like fashion models and were so similar that I would never have been able to tell who was who.

The moment we met them, I felt Brendon tense and move closer to me. They kissed my hand and one of them Aldon or Abel, licked the inside of my wrist. I don’t know if they were trying to be seductive or attempting to taste the virgin, but I screamed and yanked my hand away.

In a flash, Brendon had the man up against the wall by the throat. His brothers immediately came to his defense, and I feared there would be brawl. Thankfully, the king summoned Brendon and he went with the guards to greet his king.

I went to follow, but Ace stopped me. “King Cian won’t meet with you until he is ready.”

Nodding, I looped my arm with Ace’s muscular one and smiled up at him charmingly, “Where to then captain?”

Ace laughed, “How about we take a stroll in the gardens?”

That sounded heavenly to me.

The whole adage that vampires can’t walk in the light is a bunch of garbage. We don’t sparkle either. In truth, we are just like other humans. We can get a tan or burn, we aren’t freezing to the touch, and we can’t reach each other’s minds.

The biggest difference, besides drinking human blood, is that we heal so much faster and are tremendously stronger. Oh, and we live for centuries.

The only thing that can kill a vampire is to remove their heart.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Acheron.”

A beautiful girl with long red hair and piercing green eyes approached us. She was accompanied by two other girls, one with short dark hair and ebony skin, and the other with pale skin and dark almond-shaped eyes.

“Francine.” Ace’s mouth twisted as if he had just bitten into a lemon.

“Who is your snack?” Francine smirked, and the two girls with her tittered.

“Are you talking to me?” I spoke with a clear voice. I refused to cower in front of three blood-sucking mean girls.

Ace turned to me, “Vivian, this is Francine and her minions, Olivia and Mae.”

The one with the straight, shiny black hair smirked, “An innocent? How... original.”

Ace pulled me against his side, “It’s something you would know nothing about Mae. Are you still spreading your thighs for anyone with a large enough dick?”

Mae’s cheeks heated, but before she could respond, Francine laid a hand on her arm.

“There is no need to be nasty, Acheron.”

“The name is Ace, and you know it. Come on, Viv, you shouldn’t be hanging out with the royal sluts.”

The girls tittered again, but we didn’t stay to say anything else. Ace was steering me far away from the three girls and into what looked to be a maze.

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