The Rise Of The Queen

Chapter 2.

Ravens POV

* * * * * * * * * I was standing on the balcony looking out on the streets of New Orleans, in a few days the Mardi Grass parade was being held and the humans were running around, partying and setting everything up for the event. 

I could spend hours on end watching them in their joy, dreaming of a life as free as theirs, but then I remember that they age and wrinkle and then die, making me pretty happy to be a vampire. 

We lived in a big mansion-like house on the outskirts of town, you could see almost everything from here. whenever someone would ask about us we would just tell that we used to live in New York but then our family expanded and we needed a bigger, safer place to live, they all bought it. Then of course there were those who knew that our family has lived here for hundreds of years. It has been passed down to the heir of the throne for generations. 

”Raven you up there?” I heard my father yelling from the hall. 

”Yes!” 

”Come down here we need to talk!” Somehow even after all these years, he still doesn't realize that he can whisper and I will still hear him. I walked inside and closed the balcony door, making sure to pull down the curtains, before heading downstairs.

”Yes, father?” I said with a snide tone, however, his eyes were glued to my outfit I was wearing a short black dress with fishnet stockings, I could see his face turning red with anger and his hands shaking. ”What are you wearing?” He seethed through his teeth.

”Clothes, why? Would you prefer I wear nothing?” His eyes snapped to mine and they were black, had I been someone else I would have been hiding in the corner, afraid of his wrath by now, but I'm not just any vampire in this sorry excuse of a clan, I'm the princess. 

Over the years I had grown accustomed to the way men saw us, women, as nothing but objects, breaded to look pretty and be quiet. And maybe I would be had we not lived in an era with such exquisite taste in fashion. 

”Raven, Frederick is coming here with his brother in a few days and when he does I need you to act like a lady and dress like on and not like some whore.” My father sure had his way with words, such a charmer. I rolled my eyes and put my hand on my hip. ”I don't know what you think you will get out of this but listen to me and listen closely. I will not marry him or anybody else ever, is that clear? You can bring him here all you want and offer up you're own daughter on sliver platter but believe you me, it will be your doom.” I said in a calm and collected voice, but my words were laced in venom. ”Watch your f*****g mouth young girl!” He shouted and the guards all looked down at their feet.

My father went past me and walked into his study, I stood there for another few minutes before bargain out of the door, but before I could exist one of the guards grabbed onto my arm. 

”You’re pushing your luck with him, Raven, you need to be careful.” I looked at him as if he had just told me that pigs can fly. ” You may be afraid of my father, but I'm not, would you rather I let him sell me off like a farmer does his sheep?” 

”Of course not.”

”Then stay in your place and never tell me what to do again." I snapped at him. The guards' name was Marco, he was a few years older than me and had always treated me with respect, his only defect was his fear towards his king. In my opinion, a king should be respected, not feared, or he has done something very wrong along with his reign. 

”I only care about you, Raven.” He said in a soft tone, he was a sweet guy but just like every other man, he believed women to be weak and in need of the protection of a man.

 ”I know you do, and I'm sorry I snapped but I don't need you to look after me, I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself.” I said as I yanked my arm out of his grip and showed him a smile before walking off. 

I was walking on the streets of New Orleans, something about this place just always cheered me up. They were all so carefree in some way, I knew that everyone had their own issues, even humans, but it seemed like they all melted away when they were out together, partying, drinking, and laughing. 

I saw a group of people sitting outside the black penny pub, they were giggling and talking, when they saw me they waved me over and that's when I recognized them, I had hung out with them before, they must remember me. 

”Hey Raven how are you?” A girl named Alisa asked me as we hugged, I had met them all at a parade a few months ago. ”I’m good, just some family drama.” What was I supposed to say? No, my father is going to sell me off like some piece of meat to the most ruthless vampire there is? 

”Come on sit down, have a drink.” Carl, one of the younger guys said and pulled out a chair for me, he poured me a glass of beer and restarted drinking and talking. 

”Do you guys think we’ll get to see any vampires during Mardi grass this year?” Clara, another one of the girls asked. This was also something I enjoyed while being around humans, they were so oblivious to everything happening around them, to them vampires and werewolves were mythical creatures who kept in the shadows, which we did but that's because we’d die in the sun, werewolves, however, walked amongst them and so did we at night. 

”Maybe, if we keep our eyes sharp we’ll see some.” I said as I took a sip of my beer.

”That would be awesome!” Nick, another one of the guys said.

”Come on you guys vampires aren't real, don't believe everything you see on tv.” I internally laughed but only rolled my eyes at his words. 

”Believing in the unbelievable is what makes life fun, never stop doing it, or you'll find yourself old, grey-haired, or balled before you know it. Fantasy keeps us young.” I said, meaning every word, I never want anybody to stop believing, humans didn't have many other things to enjoy besides working themselves to death and paying a bunch of bills, they needed this. 

”Are you coming to Mardi Grass this year Raven?” That was a good question, am I?

I always went, every year, despite my fathers' objections I made It a point to never miss a parade, I needed them, for my own peace of mind.  ”I don't know Alisa, we’ll have to wait and see.” I responded with a smile. ”Come on! You said you never miss them?” She whined and grabbed my hands, begging me. ”I will try to make it, I promise.” I said as I stared into her eyes. 

”Okay, so now to some really important matters,” Clara said putting her hands on the table, shaking the glasses. ”What do I do about Daniel?” She said as she bit her bottom lip. 

”Who’s Daniel?” I asked looking around the table in confusion, I had met them once before and sure we talked for a long time but we didn't have any contact other than that. 

”Daniel is this guy that I’ve been dating for the past three months, however, he says that he wants to get serious but I don't like that all his friends are women. He has like three and they’re gorgeous, do you think he’ll stop being friends with them for me?” She looked hopeful, but in all honesty, you can't ask that of another person. 

”Clara, the problem doesn't lie with Daniels friends, they lie with you. You're insecure and the jealousy will sooner or later wreck your relationship, you can't ask him to give up a part of his life, because sooner or later he’s going to resent you for it. Take some time instead, for yourself, to grow and to prosper and I promise that none of this will bother you.” They all looked at me in awe, like I had just read something from a holy book or some s**t like that, I just never beat around the bush.

I like getting straight to the point, always have and always will. 

”Wow Raven, that was really mature,” Alisa said with a smile,

”And logical.” Carl chimed in. Clara however, didn't look all too satisfied with my response, she was pouting with her arms crossed over her chest, as a defiant child would. 

”I’m sorry but I mean if you really like him then you should be able to like him regardless of his friends, if he wanted them, he wouldn't be with you.” I added. Clara eased up a little, she rallied her shoulder and took her drink, staring it around with the straw. 

”Thanks, Raven.” 

I gave her a smile and then through a quick glance at the clock inside the bar, seeing it was almost 02:30, I knew I needed to hurry up, if I stayed too long I'd have to explain why I'm leaving right before sunrise, and that conversation never goes well with people in New Orleans. 

I grabbed my things and bid my goodbyes to everyone, once again saying how I'll try to make it to the parade, and then I headed home. 

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I was sitting in the living room, drinking some freshly tapped blood and watching some tv show about cops. My father and the rest of the clan members preferred the blood directly from the vein, they then give them some of their blood, making them forget the whole thing. It’s a form of coercion, depending on how much or how little blood the human is injected with, they can either forget moments, days, or be completely under the control of a vampire. 

Me, however, seeing as how many humans I've befriended, I preferred tapped blood, meaning someone taps a human on their blood, as much as possible from each person and then I drink it for as long as it lasts.

Our house isn't your ordinary mansion, from the outside it looks like all drapes are up and that the lights are on, however from the inside, you don't see out at all. We have our lamps but that is the only source of light there is. 

My great grandfather had a wizard put a spell on the house many years back so that it looks like a normal family lives here, but the light never enters within the walls. 

I can't stop thinking about the arrangement my father has made, there has to be a way out of it, for me at least, I'm a princess, I'm of royal blood, and one heck of a fighter. The fighting I have taught myself, I saw how the warriors fought and picked it up, Marco has helped me too, whenever he could. 

Perhaps if I fought, if they saw that I'm not some dainty damsel in distress, perhaps if they saw me as a warrior, they would see me as an equal and I wouldn't fit their criteria for a wife. And if that doesn't work, then bring me war. Let hell rain down and I will show them how to hold the umbrella.