Thessryn kingdom, Bloodmoor dukedom, the southern part of the kingdom.
This was a name no one will think about or even try to remember while on earth. It took me a while to get used to saying it but now I'm quite proficient in all the difficult names.
My ancestors were quite narcissistic when they named the dukedom, the very piece of land they forcefully snatched after themselves.
I wouldn't complain, it fits its rulers.
In front of me was my mother, Lilith Bloodmoor, the head of the family. The Bloodmoor family was a matriarchal family ruled by the strongest female vampire in that generation.
She was the epitome of beauty. Pale skin, red hair, red eyes, a perfectly shaped nose, and a face curved by the vampire God himself. Her presence wouldn't be missed the moment she entered a room, and I could feel it as she settled on the head chair on the dining table that could accommodate almost ten people.
I looked around the room. A bright chandelier that brightened the whole room enough to make it look like day. Decorations made from pure gold, shining crystals placed strategically around the room.
I could never get used to such extravagance despite living here for seven years.
A bright red carpet spanned the whole dining room, made from one of the magical beast's skin, but I didn't know which. I had never come around to ask mother.
Behind her chair were the photos of the first progenitor and the other vampires that led the Bloodmoor family.
Like most noble household histories, Bloodmoor had gotten the land after earning merit from saving the kingdom from total annihilation. They had demanded this piece of land as a gift and for their hard-earned victory.
The emperor had no choice but to relent to their demands, he didn't have the soldiers to go against the Bloodmoor family.
I think I've said a lot about my family, now let's go back to what I was doing.
"Good morning mother."
I said respectfully. She demanded respect without even lifting a finger. As the strongest vampire in existence, she was a very dominant woman.
" Good morning. Have you stopped your games yet? Your teachers have started to raise their concerns about your fixations?"
She looked at me her eyes taking in all my reactions. I didn't give her any. I suppressed the scoff that was threatening to come out and smiled.
"I've done no such thing mother. They have started to meddle a little too much in what I do with my free time."
Mother was quiet for a moment then shook her head. It was becoming irritating with how much those teachers, mother had gotten to teach me magic and etiquette were meddling in my affairs.
I was respectful enough when I needed their help, but right now, I had mastered everything they had taught me. I did not have any use for them anymore.
Mother seemed to have noticed my implications. Of course, she would. I was her favorite child after all.
" His Majesty was kind enough to give you tutors but it seems they have failed in their purpose. Bring them here."
She commanded one of the servants. The servant bowed before leaving the dining room as if something was chasing him. I was used to their reactions. Fear was the best way to hold control over them.
The fear of being caught if they ran, the fear for their families. There were so many ways to induce fear in them.
"Lucian, what stars of magic have you mastered?"
Mother asked. Magic in this world was ranked from one to twenty-four stars. One being the Lowest and twenty-four being the highest.
There were all kinds of magic the common ones, fire, wind, water,wood and the rare one that only the best of the best had.
As for me not to blow my own trumpet, I was among the proteges talented in every form of magic. The teachers treated me as a monster. I found it ironic since I was born one already and their fears were unfounded.
A few experiments here and there would not harm anybody. They were for the greater good.
"I'm a fifteen-star mother, my body is unfortunately too young to continue increasing my magic power. I would love to focus on my body more."
I answered crudely. I was stronger than that but had suppressed my stars to fifteen. If my mother knew I was talented in magic and could increase my magic proficiency and stars, I am sure she would try to drink my blood.
Mother was rumoured to almost fill those stars, only a few steps away from becoming the strongest in the kingdom,but I wasn't too sure since I was unfortunately weaker than her.
Vampires were selfish creatures to the core, they would eat their own offspring if it meant more power. I didn't want to be locked up in the dungeon with the blood slaves.
Despite this, being born into a noble family was luck on its own. If I had been born as a commoner, I wouldn't have had the liberty and money to conduct my experiments on immortality.
I would be too poor to even comprehend the start of immortality. Instead I would be fighting with other commoners in some backward village for food and just to scrap by. Being born in the Bloodmoor family was the best thing the universe seemed to have offered me.
I wasn't one to complain.
"You are almost at Seraphs level, she seems to have stagnated in her training."
Mother was referring to my older sister. We were her only children and my elder sister will be the one to inherit the estate after mother decides to retire or sister gets tired of her and kills her.
Sister took a deep breath and settled her fork down. She looked at me her eyes unreadable.
"Mother, do not compare me with him. He's a monster and you know that."
I could tell my sister was getting angry again. This was a normal problem at the dining table. Comparing the two of us. By the way my sister was ten years older than me, already an adult.
To the outside world she was a talented magician and swords woman but to mother it wasn't enough.
Mother seems to poke at her weakness by using me as the stone to hurt her. It didn't work, she was just as fiery as mother. They did embody the slogan, like mother like daughter, in everything, even their looks. She was a splitting image of my mother.
Since vampires do not age as fast as humans do, mother still had her youthful look . It would have been an advantage, but unfortunately, they still die of old age.
"You are disappointing in every way, do you want your brother to surpass you?"
Mother's disdainful voice filled the dining room. Sister rolled her eyes clearly not fazed by the degradation.
I had shown my intelligence when I was still young. I did not see a reason as to why I should pretend. Mother took me as her perfect offspring and compared me to my sister every time.
If I were a woman, I would have had the eligibility to compete for the grand duchess seat, but I wouldn't have because it would be too much responsibility, and I have my experiments to look after. To top it off, my sister would have murdered me when I was a child.
Vampires are fiercely competitive and territorial.
"Can we just eat in peace without arguing?"
I was getting tired of their constant arguing and it seems to always happen during meals the only time we were together as a family before everyone went to do their own things.
"Lucian, you need to choose a maid to serve you; you're too old for a nanny."
Mother changed the subject. I was about to answer when the dining door bursted open and two servants entered with my three teachers behind them.
I didn't wait for them to take in the environment.
"Mother told me you've been concerned about my habits?"
I asked coldly. Indulging can lead to complacency. They had gotten used to me smiling at them and thought I would fold under their tutoring .
"Young master why are you bringing us here with such force, you should learn to obey your teachers."
The older female teacher said condescendingly. I felt like laughing, just because she taught me a little bit of etiquette the power got in her head.
"You have not answered my question?"
I said calmly. Mother and sister just continued eating their food leaving me to handle my own teachers.
"Duchess Lilith are you going to let your child talk to his teachers like this?"
The old crook turned to mother and said vehemently. Mother the majesty she was didn't even look at her, she continued to dine as though they did not exist.
"You have become a bit too nosy for your own good. How much did you tell his Majesty?
I asked calmly. I picked up a small knife from my cutlery and rolled it around my fingers.
"Lucian if you are going to do something do it quickly I do not wish for my appetite to disappear."
Mother said nonchalantly.