Chapter 197 Lady Of The Night (21)

(Outskirts of Forest Elerifn- Hidden Location)

(Castle Blackmore- Throne Room)

"Impossible!" a hoarse voice shrieked with rage. The voice echoed through the room and pierced the ears of the servants who had their heads bowed.

A handsome man in his early forties with pale skin and dirty blonde hair read the letter over and over again.

None of the servants in the room dared to lift up their heads as they witnessed their master continue to scream and shout like a madman.

The servants wore long brown cloaks that concealed their bodies and white masks that covered their facial features.

Some were vampires while others were human but all of them could not move a single muscle as a heavy pressure descended on the throne room.

"How could that bitch… wasn't she dead?" Prince Antonio muttered over and over again as he rubbed his temples.

"No… the rumors said that she had taken her own life and was now resting beneath her castle… damn it… I knew I should I verified the information myself!"

"But it's been hundreds of years… what on… why now?"

He could feel his headache getting worse by the minute. The political situation among the upper nobility was already tense enough…

Now a princess had seemingly returned from the dead.

"All of you… get out now," Prince Antonio snarled as he waved his hands and dismissed the servants in the room.

The heavy metal doors at the end of the throne room swung open and the servants slowly walked out in an orderly single line.

The vampire lord reached for a goblet filled with a crimson liquid and took two large mouthfuls.

His fingers trembled slightly and the liquid inside the goblet spilled down his shirt.

"And if I got this letter… that means that… fuck!" Prince Antonio yelled in fury as he flung the goblet on the ground.

The golden chalice shattered into thousands of pieces with a heavy thump. The vampire sitting on the throne placed his head in his palms and begun to think.

Now was not the time to let his emotions get the better of him.

Prince Antonio began to silently count in his mind until his bloodlust and fear finally receded.

Vampire society was a hierarchical one with the princes and princesses at the top of the pyramid followed by the archdukes then the dukes, counts, viscounts and finally barons.

There used to one who stood above the entire pyramid, but he had perished a millennia ago when his own children turned on him.

The Ancestor.

Currently there were three vampires who possessed the strength and bloodline necessary to be known as a princes or princesses.

Prince Antonio of Clan Vermont. Also known as the 'Butcher of Men' a bloodthirsty monster renown for his cruelty and cunning.

Princess Esme of House Mornt. A wicked schemer who preferred to spend her days plotting in the shadows like a filthy rat.

Prince Samuel of Clan Sundry. He was… an enigma.

Rumors swirled around that he was involved with the humans but of course anyone who spread such gossip would immediately be killed.

And now there was a fourth.

Camilla. The 'Mage'.

She had never officially taken the title of princess, but her mastery of blood magic was more than enough to pose a threat.

Antonio rubbed his temples so furiously that his fingernails scrapped off the top of his skin. Dark black blood flowed down the side of his head as he continued to pick apart the flesh.

A delicate balance of power had been formed over the last few hundred years and now that balance was about to be threatened.

If Camilla stood on any one of their sides… that prince or princess would be able to gain significant territory or influence.

"And I'm sure those ruthless bastards have also realised that fact as well," Prince Antonio muttered quietly to himself.

Camilla was one clever bitch.

She had sent out a message of her return to each of them.

Now they would all be forced to offer gifts and concessions to make sure that she did not pick a side.

Of course, if she was to disappear… then the problem would be solved.

The vampire lord tapped his fingers against the side of his throne as a certain face flashed across his mind.

???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????

Yes… that could work…

He immediately leapt off the throne and landed on the ground several hundred feet below with a graceful posture.

As the prince walked out of the throne room, the ugly wound on the side of his temple was already gone as the flesh had stitched back together.

He wandered through the castle and paid little attention to the servants who respectfully knelt and placed their foreheads on the ground.

Prince Antonio walked through a labyrinth of passageways and hidden corridors until he arrived at a plain wooden door.

He raised up his hand to knock against the door, but it slowly opened to reveal a handsome man who was the splitting image of his younger self.

But there was one crucial difference.

Only one of his eyes was crimson. The other eye was clearly that of a normal human with a light brown pupil.

The young man wore a plain white dress shirt, black velvety pants, and a pair of sharp pointy shoes.

"Yes father?" the young man asked in a respectful tone.

Prince Antonio's lips gently curved upwards as his crimson eyes swept up and down the length of his son's body.

His son was a Dhampir.

Half human and half vampire. An incredibly rare hybrid who was able to shift into either form with just a thought.

They possessed a decent amount of enhanced strength even when leaning into their human side. Of course, their greatest strength was their ability to withstand sunlight.

"Finley… I have a special task for you… one that should you succeed… I will consider making you a full vampire and my heir," Prince Antonio softly whispered.

The young man's eyes widened in shock as he listened to his father's startling words.

He always dreamed of becoming a full vampire and standing by his father's side as the next leader of the clan.

"What do I need to do?" Finley asked curiously as he tried his best not to show the eagerness that he felt in his heart.

Prince Antonio smiled warmly at his son and placed a cold heavy hand on his shoulder. The vampire lord opened his mouth and spoke in a commanding tone,

"You must join the Hunter's Organisation and rise up the ranks until you reach a position of power and influence."

"This mission will be a long-term one, so I am not hoping for immediate results. Once you have established yourself, I want you to leak out this important information."

"The vampires will be electing a leader of their entire race and the number one candidate is a dangerous monster…"

"She goes by the name of Camilla."