"Warfarin, calm yourself before your heart stops."
"It's easy to say when you don't know the people waiting for me."
The vampire beside me shifted nervously in her seat, anxiously gazing at the scenery through the small window of the dark carriage, as if expecting an ambush at any moment.
"Is your family really that horrible?"
I placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her, which seemed to work.
"Not exactly, they aren't monsters, but they have no problem using dirty tricks to get what they want. Life in the vampire court is treacherous, with various clans forming alliances or warring amongst themselves. It's always a matter of gaining more power and eliminating the enemy. I've lost count of how many times we've escaped assassination attempts."
"Is there an ultimate goal?"
"Yes, a position in the Sarkaz royal court. The current Vampire Lord has amassed enough power and influence to secure his place alongside two generations of kings, but now he is weak, the perfect time for someone to take his position."
"And your arranged marriage would guarantee that position for your partner?"
"I don't know, but the union of our clans would become a force to be reckoned with."
"I believe I never asked this, but what are the names of your clans?"
"You wouldn't understand, they are pronounced in Old Kazdelian and there is no exact translation."
"Try me."
"My clan is called הוורד שפורח באור הירח and, and my fiancé's is הצייד האורב בצללים."
"I didn't understand a single word."
"I told you."
"How many vampire clans are there?"
"Few, less than twenty after the various wars and hunts carried out by other Sarkaz. Many vampires see people as cattle, and this has the unfortunate result of making the people want to wipe them off the map."
"Oh, I'm sorry about that."
"Don't be, we got what we deserved."
The journey continued in an uncomfortable silence, with the twin moons shining brightly in the sky as we entered a dirt road in the middle of a dark forest of twisted trees.
There, forming a dark outline against the brighter moon, was a large castle atop a hill, its towers piercing the sky.
It wasn't long before we approached its walls, and as soon as the large metal gates opened, I was surprised by what I found on the other side: a beautiful garden full of roses and shrub statues with a fountain in the center.
I was used to castles and fortifications ruined by battle, so I had difficulty accepting such a place possessing such a pleasant view. The carriage advanced along a gray tiled path and circled the fountain, stopping before the castle entrance.
We heard the coachman leave his seat and approach the carriage door. Warfarin looked like she was about to explode with nervousness, but as soon as the door opened, her attitude changed completely due to the peculiar sight.
Probably, two rows, one on each side of the castle entrance, composed of vampire maids and butlers bowing was not what she expected.
The red carpet was rolled out for us, and following the basic etiquette rules my companion had hammered into my head, I was the first to leave the carriage, offering my hand to help her down.
This snapped her out of her stupor, making her blink in amazement and look around before accepting my gesture.
So we walked towards the entrance, but despite Warfarin being the guest, I was the center of attention, with some of the servants raising their heads and glancing at me.
I made a point of returning their gaze, but instead of fear, they returned my gesture with humor, a slight laugh, and a lip-licking.
"I've barely arrived and I already feel like a piece of meat."
"If any of them jump on you, don't hesitate to crack their heads open. It will be easier to blame the servant for the lack of control and explain to my parents that you were just defending yourself."
As we approached, we saw figures moving amidst the lights emanating from the castle windows and laughter coming from within, as well as a pipe organ playing somewhere.
"Are all vampires this dramatic?"
"You have no idea."
A pair of servants awaited us in the main corridor, individuals whom Warfarin identified as the head butler and head maid. Both bowed politely before speaking.
"This humble servant's heart rejoices to see you again, Lady Darya, or should I refer to you by your new name?"
I kept my satisfaction to myself; I knew Warfarin wasn't her true name, but I was happy to have my curiosity quenched.
"You may call me Darya, Thaddeus. You and Eleanor have called me that all my life; it would be troublesome to change it now."
Despite the discomfort, Warfarin offered a gentle smile to both of them, which they returned. However, their focus soon shifted to me, with the maid identified as Eleanor speaking next.
"And how should we address you, honored guest?"
"Alden."
Both vampires exchanged glances, sharing an unspoken message before continuing.
"No family name?"
"Alden Yric Osmer."
This time they seemed more pleased.
"We both thank you for your rescue and protection of Lady Darya, Lord Alden. We know she can be somewhat rebellious and difficult to handle, but there is no ill intent behind her actions."
"Don't worry, I'm used to her antics."
We shared a laugh, much to Warfarin's dismay, which only worsened when the servants tried to recount shameful stories from her past, only to be interrupted after much protest from the red-faced vampire.
Then we were led through the castle's interior, past corridors adorned with ancient paintings and polished suits of armor, stained-glass windows depicting past events, lit gilded chandeliers, and more extravagant decorations.
Occasionally I caught a shadow stirring on the dark staircases and side passages, a clear sign that we were being watched. The walk led us to a large pair of double doors made of ornate wood, from where the sounds of celebration rang out louder.
The servants said that the celebration had already begun and the guests, as well as Warfarin's family, were waiting for us in the ballroom. Asking us to wait, they entered the hall to prepare the announcement of our arrival.
"Did you invent your family name?"
"No, it's one of the few things I still remember, but it probably doesn't mean much considering how much time has passed."
"Don't say that. Have you ever considered visiting other nations in search of your past? Judging by your race and skill as a merchant, you probably came from Sargon, but your Arts and the fact that you speak Leithanien suggest otherwise."
"And what do you suppose?"
"You are a merchant from Sargon who traveled across Terra selling your wares and expanding your business. At some point in your life you went to Leithanien to train your Arts, but due to some mysterious event you lost your memories and ended up in Kazdel."
"Well, it's not much, but it's a start."
It's a pity my story here is nothing but a lie.
"And you, when did you intend to tell me your real name?"
"I…"
Before she finished, I raised my hand, asking her to stop.
"I'm not angry, just curious."
"Changing my name was nothing more than a poor attempt to hide my identity and reduce the chances of my family finding me."
"I understand. Is there anything I should know before we go through those doors?"
"The food will be edible for non-vampires, but the drinks can range from blood to extremely strong wine, to the point of being poisonous to others. Don't be taken alone to dark corners of the castle and don't say anything that could be used against you. The guests will try to humiliate you with complex conversations about politics and philosophy, using complicated words, so this is the time to use everything you've learned."
"Right, and your family? Any advice?"
"My brothers and sisters are fine, my parents are a little difficult to deal with, but nothing impossible, however, it's my grandmother you should be careful with. Don't trust that old hag, no matter what she says, do you understand?"
The frightened tone in her voice and the seriousness in her gaze was more than enough of a warning.
"She's the one who arranged your marriage, isn't she?"
"Yes, just like my mother's, uncles' and aunts'. The old bat is ambitious and obsessed with power. You have no idea how long she's been craving a drop of influence at the royal court."
"How old are you again, Warfarin?"
"I'm ninety-five years old."
"And what's the life expectancy of the Sarkaz?"
"Centuries, millennia if they're of pure blood, but that's severely reduced in case of infection."
"How old is your grandmother?"
"She's approaching her first millennium."
"And your fiancé?"
"Three centuries."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I was aware of the age differences between marriages among the nobility, but the gap between these two was disconcerting.
"Disgusting, I know. It's a fossil wanting to marry me a mummy."
I would have liked to say a few more words of encouragement, however, I didn't have that chance, as the announcement of our arrival echoed off the walls, but to our horror, there had clearly been a misunderstanding.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you the esteemed Lord Alden Yric Osmer and Darya Yric Osmer."
My eyes widened and my mouth opened in a silent scream. Warfarin did the same, becoming even paler than she already was.
The vampire prepared to run and I was about to follow her in her escape, but the doors of the ballroom opened as if fate wished to make us suffer and the various guests on the other side applauded our arrival.
The corners of my lips curled into a nervous smile, with a desperate laugh threatening to escape. The vampire beside me was in a similar state, her face rigid and full of fear.
With few options, we moved forward, returning the waves of the crowd. I had barely arrived and already wanted to leave; there were too many people in one place, and the noise hurt my ears. If my heart still beat, it would leap from my chest.
As soon as we reached the center of the hall, with a staircase splitting in two leading to both sides of the upper floor, a small figure lunged towards me—a little vampire boy with fangs bared.
He never managed to bite me, as I lifted him by the back of his shirt, watching him open and close his mouth and swing his limbs uselessly.
"Julius!"
A female voice reverberated through the chamber, and a beautiful woman in a black dress descended the stairs with hurried steps. The best way to describe her was as an older, taller, and more voluptuous version of Warfarin.
"I believe this child belongs to you, Miss…"
"Selene הוורד שפורח באור הירח."
"Miss Selene."
I saw a slight glint of irritation in her eyes, probably because I used her first name, as I had no idea how to pronounce the rest.
I handed the young man with straight, combed dark hair, a white shirt, and black trousers with suspenders to the woman in front of me, who struggled to keep the child in her arms, as he constantly tried to attack me.
"I'm sorry about that, Mr. Osmer. Julius is still young and lacks experience in controlling his hunger."
"I understand, I just hope this doesn't become frequent and…"
I immediately shifted when I saw another person approaching from the corner of my eye, this time a little girl in a pink dress with white hair whom I held by the arm.
"Hi sister!"
Despite the situation, she waved to Warfarin with her free hand, offering a big smile while the one I thought was her mother sighed in frustration.
Warfarin, on the other hand, failed to contain her laughter, hugging her sister as soon as I put her down.
"How have you been, Elissa?"
"Good, but things have been boring here without you. Nobody can challenge me at the game of hunting prey."
I chose not to ask what this game was about, and Warfarin gave me a relieved look for it.
Meanwhile, a man with black hair and dark blue attire came from the same place as these people, only accompanied by a legion of children and young people whose features varied between his appearance and that of the adult woman in front of us.
I suppose he's Warfarin's father, and the woman in front of us is her mother. And the children… Well, I guess when you live that long you're bound to have many brothers and sisters.
Soon my vampire companion found herself surrounded by a mass of bodies laughing, crying, hugging her, and asking how she was. I stepped aside, ignoring her pleas for help, and let her make peace with her family, but this made me a target for her parents.
"So you're the man I've heard so much about."
"It depends on what they say about me. People tend to exaggerate, sir…"
"Edmund הוורד שפורח באור הירח, any more than that and I'd spend the whole night telling you my name."
Warfarin's father offered me a polite smile, his fangs glistening. A gesture I returned, feigning amusement at his joke. We soon found ourselves in a handshake, but I frowned at the force he was using.
I tightened my grip, causing the man to flinch, but he didn't give up, putting more force behind his action. If he continued like this, I would crush his hand. Fortunately, Miss Selene interrupted us before the situation got out of control.
"My dear, I think that's enough. I know you're happy to meet our daughter's savior, but you're making him uncomfortable."
"Of course, forgive me for that." He replied, hiding his sore hand behind his back, offering me a forced smile and a look that promised anything but kindness.
"Don't worry, I imagine you're happy to see your daughter safe and unharmed."
I made a point of returning his feelings in kind, creating a tense silence broken only by his wife's cough.
"Yes, that's what we'd like to talk about, about you rescuing our dear Darya from the clutches of a warlord with an ego bigger than his head."
"You could say our meeting was by fate, but I believe you'd like to hear her side of the story to avoid confusion."
I made a subtle gesture to Warfarin, which she returned with a nod, moving away from her relatives before stopping in front of her parents.
Both remained in uncomfortable silence until, slowly, Warfarin raised her head, clutching the hem of her dress as she offered a determined look.
"Father, Mother."
Her voice carried weight and seriousness, something the vampires in front of her seemed to find strange.
"Darya, we…"
However, Warfarin spoke faster, interrupting her parents.
"Honestly, I planned to ignore your invitation, but Alden convinced me otherwise. I want to end this cat-and-mouse game between us, so let's talk. I'll say what I want, and you'll do the same, but one thing I guarantee: you'd better treat me like a person, not like a princess or a bargaining chip. Otherwise, you can forget about ever seeing me again. I'll disappear from the world, and if you send anyone after me, I'll return their heads to you."
The vampires stared in stunned silence, their mouths opening and closing, until her father pointed an accusing finger at me.
"What did you do to my daughter?!"
Before I could answer, Warfarin grabbed her father's sleeve, lowering his arm.
"Didn't you hear what I just said? Leave my business partner out of this."
"And didn't you hear your own words? Since when have you harbored such violent ideas?"
"Since I left this golden cage and saw the world with my own eyes. The first few days were hard; I had to learn to hunt my food, build shelters, and make fires. I went hungry and cold, I had to fight for my life many times, but I managed to turn around and become free."
"And look where that got you!"
"And now you care? Funny, I had to be captured for you to show any concern."
The vampire offered one of her mischievous smiles, her voice becoming more provocative, and her father grew increasingly frustrated, much to her amusement.
"Darya, please, why did you run away? And what happened after that?"
"I don't know, can we have a civilized conversation now?"
Her mother nodded, but my attention drifted from the conversation to the new figures descending the stairs, ignored by the vampires in front of me.
I resisted the urge to assume a fighting stance, for one of them exuded an aura of danger, and as soon as she spoke in a harsh female voice, the ballroom fell silent, overcome by a chilling sensation.
"You can have your conversation after the ball, unless you wish to continue playing the fools in front of everyone. Or you can continue and show how far our family has fallen; it's been centuries since I've had a good laugh."
Though barely perceptible, Selene and Edmund shuddered, while Warfarin seemed to have seen a demon, for her face contorted in horror.
"G-Grandma Alexandria."
"Darya."
Her words and gaze were filled with disdain, as if Warfarin were nothing more than an insect, and when the vampire reached the bottom of the stairs, I analyzed her appearance.
It was as if a bat were trying to assume human form.
Her skin was gray, unlike the paleness of other vampires, with snow-white hair and deep red eyes, even more so than the women of Warfarin's family seemed to have.
Her face was angular and sharp, with pointed ears pointing upwards, a thin mouth and nose, and sharp teeth—not just her fangs, but all of them—and her arms, strangely long, but not to the point of being impossibly long, with each hand ending in slender, clawed fingers.
Behind her came a male vampire, a tall, strong, and muscular young man in a white ball gown contrasting with the dark pink of her dress.
His hair was long and blond, with a thin, pointed mustache below his nose and a well-groomed beard. His face was softer, not to the point of being childlike, but his youthful features faded with age, and his red eyes were fixed on my companion, offering a charming smile with his rosy lips.
"Darya, my beloved! My passion for you burns stronger with your beauty gracing my eyes once more!"
Judging by the extravagant pose and sweet words, this must be her fiancé.
"BLEGH!"
Warfarin coughed, on the verge of vomiting, but the man didn't seem to care, continuing his shameful act and trying to kiss her hand. Something she refused, slapping it away.
"Keep your hands off me, Dragos!"
"Oh, I don't remember you possessing such fire before. It only makes me love you more."
She coughed into her fist again, almost turning green. But as always, I was the odd one who looked like a delicious meal for the vampires, so I had to get their attention somehow.
"And you, you must be the man who took her from me!"
The hatred was palpable, but nothing new.
"Save your feelings for later."
Alexandria placed a hand on his shoulder and Dragos froze like a statue. Pushing him aside, the ancient vampire stopped in front of me, looking me up and down.
"Why are you so tall?"
"Grandma!"
Without the slightest tact, now I know where Warfarin inherited her attitude from.
"I used to be quite short, but I found a magical artifact called the Giant's Kinship. It's not something physical you can touch, but after acquiring it, I became part giant and went through a growth spurt afterward."
"Oh, Darya, your pet can tell jokes! What else can you do?"
"Miss, with all due respect, I am no…"
I immediately raised my hand, grabbing her wrist, stopping her claws a few inches from my neck. Alexandria's arm trembled as she tried to lunge forward, but I held firm, applying more strength.
"Strange, since when does dinner fight back?"
The vampire raised an eyebrow, showing an amused smile.
"Miss, I won't retaliate because you're related to my friend, but I will defend myself if you continue your aggression."
"Hmm! Friend? From what I've heard, you two are much more than that. I didn't know the brat liked younger men. What race are you?"
"Archosauria."
"And where the hell is your tail, you desert lizard?"
"Mother, for the spirits' sake, control yourself! You don't ask why people don't have tails!"
"I agree, that was unnecessary!"
This time Warfarin's parents protested the woman's actions in front of me.
"What? Can't I satisfy my curiosity?"
"Yes, but I would like you to be more sensitive about the matter."
"Oh, did I hurt your feelings? I'm sorry, why don't you go cry on your mother's skirt? Do you want a hug and some milk?"
"MA'AM, CONTROL YOURSELF!"
It was a slip-up, but I quickly regained control, avoiding setting the hall ablaze with pyromancy. However, I partially conjured Immolation, creating a flaming aura around me for a moment.
This caused her to back away from me, but instead of fear, I saw a toothy grin that threatened to split her face.
"So you can bite. I like that. Now I'm wondering whether I should take you to my chambers or challenge you to a duel. How about both? You choose the order."
"If dueling with you will end this charade, then I will do it here and now if necessary. However, I will refuse the second option; I am not foolish enough to become intimate with such a dangerous being."
"Being? Not a person?"
"I don't feel you can be considered one."
"Curious, I feel the same about you."
It seemed a fight was about to break out; I was more concerned with creating an excuse for Warfarin and her family in case I killed her grandmother.
The vampire in question slowly raised her hands, and I was ready to cast a spell, but instead, she threw her arms up, shouting for all to hear.
"What happened to you all?! Why so much silence?! Why those downcast faces?! We are here to celebrate the return of my granddaughter and her lover! So drink, eat, and dance as much as you like, for life is short! Who knows if there will be a next time?!"
As if by magic, all the guests who had been watching our interaction moved, emerging from a stupor and returning to what they were doing as if nothing had happened, but this was nothing but pretense; everyone present feared the woman before me.
"Darya, darling, you don't mind if I take your beloved for a few minutes, do you?"
Alexandria grabbed my arm, something I struggled not to slap away. Warfarin stared at me hesitantly, but this was far from the worst situation I'd been in.
"Don't worry, do what you came to do. Meanwhile, I plan to learn more about your clan's history. Miss Alexandria wouldn't mind teaching me, would she?"
"Of course not! Where should I even begin?"
Then I was dragged away, my friend murmuring a "Be careful." It was the last thing I heard before leaving her to deal with her parents.
Meanwhile, I wondered how I would rid myself of the monster in my arms.
END OF CHAPTER