Prologue

Kian

"Come on man! Live a little, let’s go to Red and Black!" Luuk slams his arm down around my shoulder, raising his glass of whiskey to the air, like he wants to give it a high five. 

He looks at me expectantly, impatient and cocky. "We haven’t been out in ages; I'm beginning to think my brother lost his taste for intoxicated blood." He continues. The fucker is getting on my nerves more and more.

Grunting, I push him away. "Get the fuck off me, Luuk." 

I shoot him a look that would make a mere human fall to the floor in despair, but my best friend just chuckles. 

"I'll pick you up at 10 'o clock, love you baby!"

Luuk darts around the corner, fast. Leaving me in the hallway, shaking my head and running a hand through my thick, black hair.  Luuk is that one friend you can’t seem to get rid of. It doesn't matter how much of an asshole I am; he always comes back and puts me in my place when needed. I love him for that, which is why he is the one man outside my family that I trust the most. 

I walk through the grand hallway, taking in the paintings of all the kings and queens our Kingdom had before my parents, and soon I will have my painting up there as well. If I could only find a woman fit for the job. One who isn’t interested in the power and the money that comes with the crown. One who isn’t afraid to get her hands a little dirty when doing her part in running my other operations. 

But that search is like finding a needle in a haystack. I have searched in all the nightclubs I own in The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. But all I found were women who spread their legs easily for someone powerful, hoping to get a piece of the pie. 

I know my parents are getting impatient; they are ready to enjoy retirement. Willem (pronounced as Will-um), that fucker of an uncle, has been breathing down my neck the entire time. I know he wants the Throne. I know what a power-hungry son of a bitch he is and I can’t stand the thought of him ruling over my people. 

I turn around the corner and almost bump into my mother, lost in thought as I was. Her pale face lights up with a wide smile. 

"Ah, Kian. There you are. Your father and I have been discussing whether or not to throw a ball by the end of this year, you know for you to find yourself a decent wife." My mother hooks her arm around mine and whips her black hair on her back, a soft smile on her face. 

"You do know how I love to throw a ball." She continues. I shake my head. "Mom, you act like you are asking permission, but I know you well enough to know you already set everything into motion. You are as devious as you are beautiful." I kiss the top of her head, it’s easy since she is at least a foot smaller than I am. 

"Thank you, now if you'll excuse me. I was on my way to your father, he has been practicing his axe throwing skills and I am dying to know how many servants he, accidentally, killed." 

She stands on her tippy toes and pecks my cheek, darting away with a wicked grin on her face.

I have got to admit, for a respectable 1163 and 1224 years old, they are playful and mischievous as teenagers from time to time. I do hope to find that same thing in a wife someday. Now that my mother wants to throw a marry-my-son-and-become-a-fucking-princess ball, I have a deadline. The end of the year is December and last time I checked the date of today is August 27th, that doesn't leave me much room to find a suitable wife on my own. 

My phone starts ringing in my pocket, I pull it out and check the screen. "Eamon" First Luuk, then my mother and now my little brother. 

"What do you want?" I grunt through the phone. 

"Hey Kian! Nice to talk to you too. Hey, Luuk just called, told me we were going to Red and Black. You do know Charlotte is DJing tonight?" I can practically see him cocking his eyebrow through the phone. 

"Fuck, just fucking great. I’ll get that little shit before the night is over. You want to bring Cloé along?" 

"Yeah, and take Fayyim. It's been ages since we all had a fun, relaxed night." 

"Sure, anybody else you would like to bring to my night out." I emphasize on the latter, because after all, it is my night out and not theirs. 

"Don't be such an asshole, I know you need to blow off some steam and we are perfect accomplices. See you at 10!" And with that he hangs up.

I head over to the elevator in the middle of our building. We live in a large tower on the industrial side of the city, much like a skyscraper but not as high. It's easier to have everyone in the same place. It’s more efficient and of course much easier to get rid of any dead bodies here. 

Fayyim is waiting by the elevator. When she hears me coming, her head snaps to my direction. 

"Kian! Are you heading up?" She calls out in that thick Indian accent of hers. 

She is half Indian and half Dutch, a gorgeous mix. She has olive skin, full plush lips, bright grey eyes and long, thick hair as black as night. If she wasn't like a sister to me, she would definitely be a good candidate for marriage.

"Fay, I was on my way to see you. Good to find you here and not in your chambers on top of some fool who thinks he will be able to walk out of here." 

I'm beside her in 3 large strides. She smirks and fists my button down. "You can always join, you know, release some of that tension." 

I shake my head, plucking her fingers from my shirt. "I'd rather not, last time we did that, we worked through an entire football team and their wives." 

Her smile widens, mischief in her eyes. "I know! The humans wouldn't shut up about it, it was lovely!" 

I grunt and shake my head. "You are insufferable."

Fayyim pushes the button and turns her attention back on me, putting her hand on her waist. "So, what did you need me for?" The elevator pings and the doors slide open, the clean white interior greeting us. 

"We're heading to Red and Black tonight with the whole gang. You're coming." I say while I step inside and press the button to the seventh floor, which is my floor. 

Fayyim follows me inside and pushes the button to the fifth floor. 

"Cool! About time you went out again, Red and Black is perfect for a little hunting tonight. I'm in, what time do we leave?" 

"Around ten and wear something grim, Charlotte is DJing tonight."

The elevator zooms up fast, the floors ticking by in a matter of seconds. "Great! Introduce me to her will you." Fayyim calls out as the elevator dings and the doors slide open on her floor. 

"I will, now get your ass ready." I tap her rear as she walks out the elevator, grinning I see her spinning around, ready for a sharp bite. I push the door-button and the door slides closed again, right before she can make it inside. 

~~

I walk into the lounge on the second floor of our building.

Smokey Quartz tiles make up all the walls. A thick red carpet covers the entire floor, a big fireplace in the middle, while heavy black and gold chandeliers hang from the ceiling. The place is cast in a warm, orange glow that comes from the giant stone fireplace set in the middle from the room. 

The entire floor is decorated in black and dark brown furniture. The sofas, benches and chairs are set up in such a way you have your own private little area. 

It has a distinct sensual and gruesome feeling. The same you get in a playroom or a torture chamber, exactly how I desired it to be. 

The rest of my little group of fucked up friends is already waiting for me in one of the niches close to the fireplace. I let my eyes drift over the company I am keeping this evening. They’re a handsome bunch. 

Eamon stands up from his spot on the sofa that he is occupying with Luuk, a big smile on his face. He comes up and slams his hand on my shoulder, keeping me at a distance and looking me over. 

"You look like a regal bloodsucker, I feel sorry for the girl who will be on the receiving end tonight."

 "Thanks brother, what are we drinking?" I say, eyeing the two bottles of champagne on the table.

 "Nothing fancy, just two bottles of Dom Perignon Vintage."

My brother directs his attention to Luuk, and I grab an empty glass. "How much longer till the Uber gets here, I'm starving." He says licking his fangs. 

"For fuck's sake! You had a drink this afternoon." Cloé swats his ass. 

Eamon smirks, sensual mischief in his eyes. "I know baby, but all I crave is to share a warm, soft, intoxicated body with you. Feel that rush and make sweet, long, hard, nasty..." 

"Jesus, go and fuck already. You still have ten minutes, should be more than enough for you." Luuk waves his hand dismissively at the two. 

Snorting, I shoot a glance at the both of them, it's a pissing contest waiting to begin. "Knock it off boys, I want to make the club in one piece for once." Fayyim grunts, watching the two with eagle eyes. 

"Sure mom." Luuk chuckles. 

Fayyim glares at him. "Don't test me, or do I need to hand that sweet little ass to you again?" She growls, mischief shining in her eyes. 

I lean forward when I see Luuk's smirk widen. "I've got something else I don't mind your hand wrapped around." He says, waggling his eyebrows at her. 

"Sure, you do." Fayyim and Cloé snicker, high fiving each other. 

I signal my brother. He leans forward, elbows on his knees. "I want you to keep tabs on Timor, he is becoming more reckless." I tell him. 

Timor is our younger nephew and is developing an addiction to coked up humans. I can't have a scandal this close to my inauguration, the vampiric world is already scandalous enough, games and secrets wired through the tops of it. Eamon nods and pulls his phone out, deep in conversation a few seconds later. 

"Let's finish our drinks and get going guys, the Uber can be here any minute." Luuk growls lowly and sits back in the sofa, sipping on the champagne. 

I shoot the remnants of the champagne and place the glass on the table. "Good to go." 

The rest of my group follows suit and a heartbeat later we are all ready to go. Fayyim comes strutting beside me, hooking her arm in mine, claiming me like she is my personal bodyguard and lover.

"If I didn't know any better, I could have sworn you two have fucked. I pity the man you are ever settling for Fayyim." Luuk chuckles from behind us and Fayyim glances over her shoulder, a sultry smile on her face. 

"Who says we haven't?" She lets her hand fall down and squeezes my ass, like it her own bloody stress ball. 

Cloé groans behind us. "Goddess, we are one fucked up bunch of friends."

We walk out the front door and the Uber is already waiting for us, a young man named Jeroen our driver. The poor guy shuffles nervously on his feet when he sees us emerging from the building. 

Eamon smiles and walks toward the guy. "Jeroen right? Relax, we don't bite." He says petting the shoulder of the guy. 

He must be somewhere in his late twenties, probably just started as an Uber driver and now he has to drive this lot around.

We all hop in the Mercedes Sprinter and I take my seat next to him. "To Red and Black. Step on it." He grips the wheel, hits the gas and flies us over the road. 

~~

We arrive at the club; it's situated in a World War Two bunker and I remodeled it to an old-school underground club. The line at the front of the black washed wall and door is massive, humans and vampires from all degradations of the population have gathered to party with Charlotte de Witte, a Belgian born Techno DJ. She is one of the best and one of the few humans I tolerate. 

I lean over to our Uber driver. "If you want to make five-hundred euro's extra tonight, then give me your number and pick us up when I call you. You did a good job." 

His eyes go wide, fear, surprise and greed twirl around in them. "Eh, right, of course sir." He stutters, I hand him my phone and he quickly types in his phone number. 

"See ya later Jeroen." I call out casually over my shoulder and step out the vehicle. 

Cloé looks at me expectantly. "And?" 

"Got it, I think he was too nervous to refuse anyway." I smirk and Cloé laughs. 

"Darling! We got ourselves a snack for the way back!" She chirps happily and kisses Eamon on his cheek. 

We make our way to the door, cutting the line entirely. The bouncer at the door holds the line and opens a path for us. "Sir." He nods and lets us through the door. 

Once we are inside the bass vibrates through the walls, wafts of sweat, drugs, alcohol, sex and blood come rolling through the hallway we are walking through. The hallway is long and dark, the only lighting coming off small wall lamps that give off a red glow. 

The dark, metallic door on the other end of the dark hallway swings open, two women come rolling through, kissing and touching each other, clearly high on whatever drug they used. A small smirk plays on my lips, looks like a promising night. 

The blond one moans loudly when we pass them, I glance down and see the brunette’s hand has disappeared under the blond’s  skirt. 

Next to me, Luuk groans. "Brother save me." 

I chuckle and my smirk widens. "You could always join them; you know how to find us." I say loud enough for one of the women to hear me. 

The brunette whips her head around, glancing at us and keeping her friend in place. She eyes Luuk, the hunger in her eyes is clear and she bites her lip. 

"Now why don't you?" She says, her voice thick with lust and she grabs Luuk by the board of his jeans. 

Luuk is startled for a second but recovers immediately, taking the brunette's face in his hands and kissing her deeply. "Have fun!" Fayyim calls out over her shoulder and pushes the door to the club open. 

Fayyim leads the way to our usual booth and I look around the place, taking in the humans and vampires before me that are dancing in a trance- like state to the loud music. 

The club is massive. The walls are midnight black with lights that respond to the music. The floor is grey cement, and in the middle is a dancefloor. To the sides are the bars and private booths. The entire stage is a three-layered black throne, covered in light panels that give away an intense show. In

the middle stands Charlotte, like the queen of Techno she is. 

When we are halfway through the club, I pick up a scent, it's floral, feminine and sweaty. It's intoxicating. I feel my eyes bleed black and shake my head, this can't be happening now. 

Eamon comes walking next to me. "Bro, are you alright?"

 I look at him and I can see my own reflection in his eyes. My eyes are completely black, my fangs protruding, and my skin has that hard shine I only get when I go into full predator mode. 

Eamon's eyes widen and he grips my arm. "Breathe brother and focus on me." 

I do as he says and breath in through my nose, and out from my mouth. But it has no use. The intoxicating scent has its tendrils wrapped around the control I have on my bloodlust, ripping it to shreds in a heartbeat.

My eyes fly over the crowd hungrily, scanning each and every one of them.

They latch on a beautiful woman in the middle of the dancefloor. She is dancing to the beat with bright eyes, her silvery hair swings over her exposed back. The black, lacy bralette she is wearing covers all the important parts and the leather high waisted jeans hug her ass perfectly. The rays of red light hit her tanned skin, exposing every muscle, every curve to me and I know I have got to have her. 

Fuck, she is beautiful.

I zone in on her. Her moves are fluent, and her gaze is lost in the high of the music. Her heart beats rapidly in her chest and her mouth is slightly parted, just begging me to come and taste her. 

And right there. I know I have got to have her, and I know I need to get the fuck out of this club.

I grip my brother by his shoulder, groaning. "You see that woman, the one with silver hair in the middle of the dancefloor?"

His eyes dart over the crowd and land on the total knock out in the middle, dancing like she owns the place. He nods, his focus back on me.

"Find out everything you can about her, I need to leave! Now!" The words come out as a growl and my brother keeps a tight grip on my shoulders while he drags me out of the club.

"You know she is human right?" He asks when we are outside.

I breath in deep, relieved to be out of the club without turning it into a massacre. My harsh gaze snaps on Eamon again. "Yes, and I don't care. I also don't care she has no idea of my existence, and I don't care what she wants. She is mine before the year ends."