The Royal Quest

PROLOGUE. Sweetest Blood

In the farthest land of the north, there stands the most luxurious but the dark Kingdom of Gorgax, ruled by three hundred years of age, the first and only Vampire King, Massimo Gor.

He was once a Prince and a great human warrior who always brought victory from wars. A pride for legacy, some say, but fate didn't favor him because he is the youngest among the four princes.

He felt hatred towards his older brothers, who only enjoyed women and fame for being one of the royalty. Yet they have the major advantage to take over the throne. Until darkness possesses his heart and soul, that leads the demons to perform their awful mission, which is to conquer the kingdom and next is the world, and Massimo will be their first move.

Demons are creatures who have no permanent home, they’re like strays trying to fit in by using their human form. They could cast a spell and use it to harm and suppress other living creatures, as they want to rule the entire world and spread evil to every race.

A demon who has the human form as the King’s courtier tricks him to drink an elixir that could give him infinite strength to compete with his brothers. But just after a complete night, Massimo's appearance changed. His skin became pale, his lips as red as a rose, and his eyes color changed with golden flares. He also gains uncontrollable abilities; limitless physical strength, sharp senses of smell, taste, sight, and hearing, including quick movements as lightning and other more hidden skills and powers.

As days passed, he suddenly craved for something and it didn't last long until he discovered he thirsts for blood. It also surprised the demons about the unexpected result until they couldn't control the beast, and Massimo assaults them as well.

Some who have bitten turned to be like him, but others have disappeared, like ashes blown by the wind. Until the remaining people of Gorgax escape from the realm and go each separate way. He has no one left in the kingdom, aside from the abandoned sweet little girl, Amaia.

"Your blood is always the sweetest, love," Massimo whispered, licking the remaining drops of blood from her palm.

"How could you even say that when it's my blood you've tasted in the past twenty years?" Amaia giggles as she said that because of the tickling sensation she feels with every touch of his tongue to her skin.

Massimo kisses her wound and traces his lips to the soft skin of her slender arm up to her neck.

"Feeling energized again, huh?" She moans with closed eyes as she focuses her mind on the incredible feeling that he puts on to her.

"I can't resist whenever you're in my bed," Massimo responded as he teases her by biting her ear gently.

"You really know how to make me submit to you, my King." Her chest pounds heavily, and the feeling of lust overwhelmed her entire system. He kisses her down to her neck until his lips reach her chest. But Massimo suddenly stops.

"Your heartbeat, it is stronger than before." Massimo noticed, but can't distinguish the reason for it.

"It is because of you, you're making me excited, my King." She said enticingly and cupped his face with her hands, then gave him a heart-melting, passionate kiss.

Massimo's large hands roam her edges and curves, crumpling her soft skin, not minding if it would leave her bruises. And it didn't take long when he claimed her again for the third time tonight. Though he has the energy to do it more than that, he's afraid that Amaia can't handle his strength and her body gives up. So he always tried to be gentle as much as he could, but most of the time he always lost control, which made her fragile body weak afterward. Exhausted is just an understatement to describe.

The Vampire King loves Amaia more than anything. After he turned and became a vampire, she is the only person who stayed by his side. He took care of her until she became a lady. She grew beautifully and their feelings towards each other turned into something precious that no one can shatter, and though his age is older than her, it doesn't matter because his appearance never gets old since he became a vampire.

"Massimo," Amaia suddenly calls to him while Massimo is snuggling her from behind, with their naked bodies touching each other and his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Yes, love?" He responded above her hair.

"I was just worried. What if I became old and my skin turned wrinkled and dry? Will you still kiss me like the way you always do?" She asked out of nowhere while gawking at the moon outside through the wide window facing their direction.

"Always and forever, love. I swear." He responded as he gripped her body tightly. Amaia chuckled at his words and turned to face him.

"That's ridiculous, we both know that soon I'll be dying, I can't stay with you forever." She said as she caressed her finger on his face.

"But you know I can make you stay forever, with me. I love you and I can't imagine how I can live without you in my life, Amaia."

"I can't. If you turn me, who will feed you blood? Don't tell me you can last years by only consuming blood from animals? You'll get weak, my King, and I will not let that happen. I vowed to serve you until the last drop of my blood." She lovingly said, while the tears that welled up from the corner of her eyes finally rolled down.

"I love you so much, Massimo. Thank you for making me feel loved every day." She whispers and kisses her King.

The next morning, Amaia wanted to go outside the palace to harvest some apples. Though Massimo did not agree because she still had wounds on her palm from the last night's blood extraction and worried that some horrifying hungry vampire could smell her scent. But Amaia is being stubborn because of her cravings and wanted to bite a fresh red apple from the farm just a few meters away from the castle.

"Don't worry, my King. No one will try to attack me, I'll make sure to stand under the sunlight." She assured him as she descended hurriedly from the wide and high staircase that has gold linings on the rails in the middle of the palace hall while Massimo kept on following her from behind.

"What if… you wait until sunset, then I'll pick them up for you?" He insisted, but Amaia pouted her lips playfully.

"But I can't wait, I want it now," she complained and already stepped her feet outside the palace under the sun, where Massimo cannot follow her. She turned and faced him to wave goodbye with her sweet smile.

"Goodbye, my King. I promise I'll be back as soon as I'm done. I love you!" She yelled and turned away.

Massimo watches her getting away while her brown wavy hair bounces on her back as she skips excitedly towards the huge steel gate that is now covered with thick vines. Until her image disappeared and her scent vanished into thin air.

The Vampire King is pacing back and forth around the castle, which feels for him like years while waiting for Amaia to come back. It's been two hours since she went out, but still no sign of her. He felt anxious and wanted to follow her, but every time he tried to step under the sunlight, his skin quickly burned and thick smoke appeared.

"Holy crap!" He cursed and stepped back.

Until it is almost sunset, but his beautiful servant hasn't come back yet. He stands under the palace entrance and waits for the shadows of the gigantic walls to appear and he can finally step outside and with quick movements, he arrives at the apple farm in seconds.

"Amaia!" He shouted her name with trembling hands. His skin keeps on releasing smoke because of the remaining sunlight that hasn't disappeared yet, but he doesn't care about it due to the sudden fear he feels.

"Amaia!" Massimo keeps on calling her name until he notices a familiar scent not too far from his spot. He followed it, using his ability until his nose brought him to an oak tree with a stain of blood.

Uncertainty and anger gradually spread throughout his system as he kept on following the sweet smell until he stopped in front of a nasty tavern in the middle of the dark woods.