The Rise Of The Queen

Chapter 5.

Raven POV

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I scrunched my eyes and dragged my hand over my face. I looked around, mesmerized by the view. 

It wasn't a town so to say but rather a world of its own. When you drove in, you drove through what looked like the northern lights and entered a town. There were smaller houses all around and in the middle was a castle-looking mansion. It looked old like something kings and queens lived in. 

There were two towers on the castle, two doors made out of thick wood, and a spiral staircase that led up to the front doors. There were multiple big windows and the entire place was dark. Every light was turned off. 

Adjoint to the castle was a smaller house made of timber. It was brown and rusty but had this immense charm to it. The yard was green and in the middle was a flag pole and the flag at the top was silver with a red cape on it. 

”What the hell is this place?” I asked in a gasp. Alexander smirked as we made our way to the staircase. 

”This, dear princes, is the Whitlock mansion.” He said as he gestured with his hand to the house. 

I turned around taking in every part of this place and there, at the far end of this magnificent world, the lights were twirling around. 

”What’s that?” I said and pointed to the lights. Alexander scrunched his nose and tilted his head to the side. 

”That is a story for another day.” He said as he extended his hand, offering to help me up the stairs. I scoffed and rolled my eyes, taking my bags, and made my way up to the doors. 

Once we stood there, in front of the massive doors that had metal lining the door vertically, I waited for Alexander to open them. 

He stood there for a moment and looked at me impatiently, yet amused. 

”What? I thought liked to do things on your own.” He said with a sickeningly sweet smile on his face. 

My shoulders dropped and my eyes wore boredom. 

”This isn't my house, I'm not about barge in.” I said. 

Alexander chuckled and reached over to grab the handle, he turned it and both doors opened up. My mouth dropped and so did my bags. It was a castle, they lived in a castle. Not a modern one either, but a castle from the eighteen hundreds’. Only it had been remodeled to a somewhat more modern style on the inside. Much, however, was the same as I would imagine it had been once. 

The great hall was enormous with shiny marble-looking floors. The walls held paintings of people that wore big dresses, suits, armor, and swords. 

I walked up closer to the paintings and that’s when I saw it, they weren't humans, they were vampires. Their fangs were showing in the portraits. 

My eyes were particularly drawn to a painting of a woman. She had beautiful curly, blonde hair. Her eyes were a teak wood color and her lips were drawn in a line. 

She had a birthmark under her right eye that caught your attention, making you look into her beautiful eyes. 

”Her name was Esmeralda.” Alexander said from behind me. 

”She was the masters' wife, loved by everyone she met. She was also known to be one of the most bloodthirsty vampires to ever exist. She didn't know when to stop and killed numerous human beings. Master Leonard decided one day, that in order to protect their anonymity, she had to die. So one night when they were having dinner, Leonard poisoned his wife’s drink and held her in his arms as she took her last breaths.” I looked at Alexander in shock, my mouth nearly hit the floor. 

I understood having to protect the vampires, but to kill your own wife? I couldn't decide whether he was a good master or an awful husband. Perhaps he was both. 

I nodded my head and moved along the wall, looking at the other portraits. The further down I got, I saw how there was only one painting left, followed by emptiness. 

I looked at the painting and then back at Alexander. 

”That’s Frederick!” I said in a smart-ass tone. Why? I have no idea. 

Alexander nodded his head. His hands were clasped behind him. 

”Will your portrait be hung someday?” I asked him as we both looked at the emptiness next to the last portrait. 

”I don’t know. Perhaps someday.” He answered. His voice held pain and it made me wonder what it took to have your portrait hung on the wall. However, I wasn't going to ask him, not today. 

This looked to be hard enough for Alexander, so I decided that sightseeing could wait. 

I was, after all, going to be here for a while. As I picked up my bags another thing caught my attention and made me wonder. 

”Where is everyone?” I asked Alexander as we were making our way out from the great hall and into another room. I soon realized that it was the kitchen, and it looked just like it did two hundred years ago but I could tell it had been modernized. 

There was an open stove where you could cook if wanted, but there were also stoves, ovens, and cutlery from this century. The pantries were entered through slide doors and a room alone was a fridge. 

”They’re asleep, it’s the middle of the night.” Alexander said as if it was obvious. I took a seat on a bar stool that was centered in the corner of the kitchen. There was a bar desk and several different refreshments to choose from on the bar side. 

I looked at him, waiting for an explanation that never came. 

”But, we’re- I mean you’re vampires, we are all vampires, isn't now the time when you're awake?” I asked him. It was meant to be a statement but his earlier answer did leave much room for that assumption. 

”We do things a little differently around here. As you've probably noticed already, things aren't what you'd expect them to be. This place, along with our clan, is very very old. We have had plenty of time to adjust and made some enhancements.” Alexander answered me, while he brought out a carafe with blood from the small fridge by the bar. 

I looked around the kitchen and tried to make sense of what he had just told me. Made enhancements? What could he mean? Why are they sleeping? Oh goodness, I have many questions.

”You know, instead of troubling your pretty head with all your wonderings, you could just ask me.” He said as he leaned over the bar and placed a glass in front of me.

”What do you mean by enhancements? I thought that all vampires slept during the day and were up at night. I mean, the sun?” I said. 

”By enhancements I mean that we have found our ways around the natural enemies of a vampire. Fredrick will tell you more about it in the morning. For now, drink up. You’re going to need your strength.” He said as he toasted with our glasses. 

”Oh right, where is the devil?” Alexander laughed as he wiped off some blood residue from his mouth with a napkin.

”He went to bed, told me to wake you up and get you comfortable.” I nodded my head at his response and started drinking. The second the blood hit my tongue, it was like all my senses started dancing in euphoria. 

”What is this!?” I nearly yelled. 

” It's blood sweetheart.” He answered in that wise-ass tone I didn't appreciate.

”Well no s**t. I mean, how can it be so good?” 

”We store it well. Some of the vamps here prefer their blood directly from the source. While others, like myself, prefer to have it tapped and stored.” He liked it better this way too. I don't know why but that made me happy. Other, most vampires preferred feeding, they say that it should be warm and a bit of work.

”I do too.” I agreed. 

When we were both done, Alexander told me that he’ll show me to my room and that he’ll show me around the castle tomorrow. I was excited for the day to come, this place held secrets that I was dying to find out about. 

This clan had a rumor, there were gossips and assumptions flying all around amongst vampires. However, nobody truly knew them. They were ruthless yes, but what else? There must be a reason for their never-ending victories. There must be something more to their power other than training. 

Some say that they are royals and direct descendants of the first vampires to have ever walked this earth. Being here, I could see that it wasn't hard to believe. But royals? I don't know. Perhaps they have it in their blood. Descendants from the first vampires? No, that I’m having a hard time believing. It is said that when the first vampire died, any and all who he was related to by blood, died with him. 

But who knows, maybe being here, I'll learn the truth. The truth behind the Whitlock family.

”Goodnight princess. I hope you will make do with what has been given to you.” Alexander said very formally as he closed the door, leaving me to my peace.