VAMPIRE & HUNTERS: Necks, crowns, and fangs.

I did not think it through when I told Alisa I wanted to leave the palace. We wouldn't be running away right now if it weren’t for my selfish request. Running towards our gate, I sense two men behind us. I glanced over my shoulder and saw them in their all-white suits closing in too fast. Alisa pulled me aside to a crowd and rushed towards the stairs. “Take this,” she hands me her bag and her phone. “Get on that plane no matter what,” she tells me. “What about you?” I asked her. I felt the tears pooling in my eyes. “I can hold them off long enough for you to get away. I promise I’ll see you again.” She pulled me into a tight hug as if it was our last. She was never good at keeping promises. So I doubted her. “Just make sure that you get on that plane.” she lets me go and then rushes back into the crowd. I watched her back as it vanished into the crowd. It might be the last time I’ll ever see her. I didn’t want to leave her there, but I knew what I needed to do to be sure we were both safe. I clutched onto the bag and rushed towards our gate. I handed the lady my ticket and ran past the people in the narrow corridor. “You need to get out of this place if you want to live,” I repeatedly told myself as I sat on my seat nervously. I had my eyes closed the entire time when the plane took off. I didn’t have Alisa with me. I wasn’t sure if I would see her again. If she’s taken back to the palace, she’ll be executed for treason and negligence. Or whatever reasons they will come up with just to kill her. But without her, they won’t be able to find me. I suddenly remembered the things our late uncle taught us. He was a hunter, a vampire-hunter. He told us stories of his old days as a young hunter. He was the runaway of the family and ended up in the hands of the hunters. Instead of killing him, they trained him to hunt like them. He used to visit after missions until he went missing on his last mission. That was about 150 years ago. The last place he went to was England. *** I took a connecting flight from California to London. It’s the last place where our uncle had his last mission. No one would be looking for me there. I can stay alive for at last a year or two if they still haven’t figured out where I went. When I reached London, I took a bus to the outskirts of the city. I remember my uncle's old address as one of his hideouts. I don’t know who lives there now, but it’s definitely not empty. I asked around random people if they can point me in the direction of the manor. Most of them knew of the place but didn’t know where it is exactly and they didn’t want to know. I almost lost hope until one shop owner approached me. She was a young lady, maybe in her mid-twenties. She had a pleasant smile that matched her sweet face. She leads me into her shop and turned the sign around that says closed. She then approached the counter and took a pen and paper. “Not everyone who comes here asks for that address. Do you know who lives there?” she asked me. “My uncle used to live there. He told me to come to visit when I can.” I answered. “Ah, then the young lord must be your nephew? He’s a good young lord. But he doesn’t share the location of his estate with the common folk for safety reasons.” she told me. It’s been three generations since anyone from this town has seen that estate. There are rumors, so you must be careful.” she warned me. She handed the piece of paper with a drawing of a map. “How come you know where it is?” I asked her. “I know the baker. He used to own the shop next to mine. But when the family hired him as their private chef, he left to live there and took me with him to help him move into his new home. That was a decade ago. The young lord was only five. Good thing I have a good memory. Safe travels.” she said before walking back to the door and opening it. “Thank you for your help.” I exited the shop and followed her map. *** The estate is definitely far from the town. I underestimated the distance on the map. But it's the best she could come up with. I walked further down the road until I noticed a small dirt path on the side of the road. It's probably been covered by bushes and trees to keep it unnoticed. I sensed a presence behind me when I was about to walk right through it. "And you're as reckless as he was." I heard a voice from behind me. I turned around and a tall man with blonde hair in an all black suit. He grinned at me like I was prey caught in his sight. "What brings you here, princess?" he suddenly asked. "No need to worry, I am not a fan of your parents too. If anything, I am more interested in how you're going to plot your revenge on them for your uncle." he said. "Wait...what?" I stared at the man with curiosity and doubt. If he was away on missions, then why would this man say he was killed by my parents who are always in the palace? "Ah...they never told you. If you want to find out, then follow me. I will take you to the young lord." he said with a smile. This time, a more genuine smile. I didn't believe any of it. But a part of me said that it could be possible that he was killed by them. They had their differences, they never saw eye to eye, and he had different opinions compared to them. He thought more like a human-hunter instead of a vampire. What caused them to kill their own family is something I cannot figure out. A lot of secrets around the family table is exchanged during the blood-moon gathering a few decades ago. If the rest of the monarchy knew something about it, then they must've played a part in my uncle's death. He's the only one who got out and joined forces with the hunters. Anyone outside that room who knows about this is the person who I am about to meet.