London 1492
The hunt had been swift and quite unfulfilling and I stalked back into the mansion with murder on my mind. Scavengers. Those humans, all scavengers. The hunt was ordered and executed by myself together with a small group of my men who I had turned into vampires to serve me as I saw fit. But the humans had been weak from starvation and hardly worth the effort which in itself rendered me furious. Secretly I blamed the Queen. She was starving her own people which meant she was also starving the vampires surrounding her. The vampires who served her and served her well.
Heading up the stairs towards my sleeping quarters I was just about to veer off to the left and my own wing of the massive house, when I stopped dead in my tracks. My heart was still pounding hard against my chest and my blood was boiling. I needed aid in relieving this pressure cooker inside of me and the faint heartbeats I could hear from down the corridor of the right wing left me smiling darkly.
Miss Katerina Petrova, who was under my ward and was due to be my wedded wife, was fast asleep in her chambers as far as I could tell from where I was standing. I had not met her per chance, she was part of something much bigger than the both of us – I needed her sacrifice to be free of a curse that my own mother had put on me not long after she and my father turned me and my siblings into vampires. I was of wolf descent; a werewolf and a vampire, but since werewolves were lethal to vampires and as far as my father was concerned – an abomination of nature, my mother, who was a powerful witch, drew from dark magic a hex that subdued my werewolf nature and left me as vampire only.
I stepped closer along the darkened corridor, feeling the excitement get second wind as I came to a stop outside the Lady Katerina's bedroom door. I had let her be since she became my betrothed. Sure, I had fed on her occasionally, then compelling her to forget, but it was getting tedious. I had realized quite quickly that Katerina was drawn my older brother, Elijah, despite having feelings for me as well. This had kept me away from her, out of anger more than anything else, knowing it hurt her more than me forcing myself on her would be. I knew of her mothering a child, this being the reason she was now in London. Of course, she hadn't admitted this on her own accord, but through compulsion, however, came all the truths cascading out of that rose petal mouth of hers. I had yet to tell her I knew of her history, because I was sure I'd get use of my leverage over her one day. One shouldn't show one's hand too soon after all.
The door creaks softly when I push it open, the dim light from the hallway lighting up a small gap into Katerina's room, and onto the foot end of her bed. I let my eyes adjust to the darkness as I close the heavy oak door behind me, staying still for a moment while I assess the outlay of her chambers.
The air was damp and almost chilly, despite it being the middle of August, but the castle walls did nothing to keep too much heat even in the summer, unless a fire was lit. Turning my head, I see the small fire place was nothing more than a smoking pile of soot and without hesitation, I walked over to bend down, patiently placing sticks and hay to the middle of the stone floor of the fire place after quietly raking the soot to the back. I couldn't let the lady stay cold, even if what I had in mind was sure to warm the sweet Katerina up.
She was acting coy and innocent around me, pretending to still be untouched, and knowing better, I let her. I was not averse to females having had other men before me. In fact, it gave them an edge a young virgin could never have. In fact, I preferred the ladies I bedded to be of maturity and expertise, while I gladly feasted on the innocuous blood of a maiden. Katerina moved in her bed as the fire sparked into life, almost instantly warming the room with its low orange glow. Standing up, I took care to clean my hands on the front of my breeches before reaching up to slowly undo my belt, letting it fall onto the foot end of the young lady's bed. My leather doublet and shirt were torn and bloodied from the earlier hunt, but it did no matter to me as I shrug them both off, discarding them on top of the belt.
Blood acted as a natural aphrodisiac to me, the scent and feel of it against my skin, only adding to my brewing excitement. I stand in silence watching Katerina's heaving bosom underneath her cotton gown, the frills aiding in letting me watch her every breath while I take off my worn leather boots and the breeches, which I let stay as they were on the floor. With a growing smile, I slowly make my way along the young girl's sleeping form, until I am lying on top of her, leaning my weight on my elbows as I whisper softly while getting comfortable in between her silken legs.
"Katerina, my love… it is time to wake up."