I caught a glimpse of the view of Sangea, cloaked into it's new layer of sunlight. As soon as the beams touched my skin, I hastily covered it. The man next to me coughs.
The man was in a semi-snazzy business suit, with brown hair styled into a modern pompadour, his hair wreaking of hairspray. He had grassy green eyes and tan skin. An earth conductor.
"So, why're you coming to Sangea?" He asked, trying to break the ice. My face remains poised, and I turn to the front of me, where a movie from the mortal realm, called 'Life with Pi', was playing.
"I have some business in the upper district." I said, short and sweet. He raised his brow.
"The upper district? You must be someone important, then." He commented, a friendly grin on his face.
The plane shook, and I grabbed the arms of my seat in the grip of my palms, nervous.
The man cackled again.
"Something like that." I replied, and he smiled.
"Afraid of hieghts?"
"Very."
He grinned, and laid back in his seat.
"Don't worry, miss. We've only got twenty minutes left." He assured, and I sighed with relief. I made sure to close my eyes, in hoping he wouldn't see my eye color.
"I've heard that the wolves are coming here from Easten. Is that true?" He asked, and I looked at him, suspicious.
He raised his hands in defense, "Sorry, I don't watch the news much." He stated. I slumped into my seat.
"Well, for your information, Sangea's military controls nearly the entire western region of Connan. Those wolves can't step near our country without getting shot." I assured. The man smiled.
"Someone's been doing their homework." He said. My eye twitched. How old does he think I am?
"For your information, I'm over a thousand years old." I bragged quietly. He raised his brows in awe.
"Really? I heard only a few vampires with certain clearance are allowed to live past 500. Other than the Connan Royal Families, and loyal war veterans." He sounded amazed. Then the man brought out his hand to shake.
"Oh, my Dad was in the North War." I answered, before eying his hand.
"My name's Roland. Forgot to introduce myself." He apologized. I shook his hand.
"Cerise." I told him my rehearsed alias. I looked him in the eye. Big mistake.
"Hm?" He mumbled, and as soon as I flashed him my eyes, I turned away.
"Oh, um, I need to use the bathroom." I told Roland, embarrassed.
He got up, and walked into the aisle, where I scooted out, and shuffled past the plane seats, gripping them as I walked.
Once I slid the bathroom door open, I locked it, and looked in the mirror. I had forgotten my contacts.
"Dammit!" I shouted, digging through my purse, until I could find the case, and opened it, to see my fake purple contacts.
I gently put them on, blinking to settle them in, and once I looked into the mirror, my blood red eyes were replaced by cool, tranquil lavender ones.
Sighing with relief, I then unlocked the door, and proceeded to walk back to my seat.
Ronan looked up at me, his green eyes looking at me in confusion.
"Something wrong?"
"…No, sorry." I answered, and he got up and allowed me to go back to my seat.
After several more minutes of us descending into Sangea, I heard the familiar ringing of the pilot making an announcement.
"Alright, passengers. We are approaching the middle district airport, landing in about two more minutes. Like always, Eagle Airlines appreciates you choosing us as your transport to your destination." He thanked, and hung up.
Sighing with relief, I settled into my seat, exhausted from paranoia and turbulence, with jet lag already setting in.
The anticipation of the plane wheels gently landing on the runway was building up. I've spent four hours on this deathtrap.
"Ah, there we go. Feeling better, kid?" He asked me, and I nodded.
"Much."
As we approached the gate, I brought out my notebook, and started scribbling entries. I think I'm the only person in existence that still caries around a diary.
"Ahem."
I looked up, to find a tall, pale woman with platinum blonde hair, cropped short that flows over her ears, eyes carefully protected by wide-framed sunglasses, clad in a dark red trench coat with black tights, sporting red heels.
"Evening, Lorraine." I greeted, and she smiled slightly.
"Have a good flight?" She teased, and I rolled my eyes.
"Nice to see you, too." I mumbled, getting up, and putting my diary back into my purse, careful so Lorraine doesn't see it.
"Been writing in your little notebook?" She asked. Damn.
"Let's just go to the baggage claim." I mumbled, walking out of the gate. I could hear Lorraine's heels clicking from behind me.
"So is the limo waiting outside?" I asked her, and I could feel her smile.
"Ready at your command." She replied. I sighed, relieved, scratching my hair.
"Good. I can't wait to remove this horrid wig." I complained, and I heard her scoff.
"'Horrid'…" She teased at my vocabulary.
Lorraine is my closest friend, kind of a confidante as well. We met at the start of the eighteenth century, as she had read one of my first books. We started to become friends, especially after she agreed to let me turn her.
As we approached the baggage claim, I looked around for Roland, although no sign of him was found.
"So, meet any hunkies?" She asked, patting my back playfully. I shook my head.
"Not really." And I saw her frown.
"You really should get back in the game."
"I've been 'out of the game' since 1870." I snapped back, and hastily rushed out of the room, tugging Lorraine's wrist along with me.
As soon as the limo was shut, I removed my wig in a rush, transitioning from short, wild, red hair-to long, flowy raven-colored locks. I felt a wave of relief as the uncomfortable wig was removed.
After the wig came the eyes, and I picked out my contacts, and safely put them in the case. I heard Lorraine fake-gag.
"You know you could just wear shades." She reminded me.
"Wouldn't they think it would be suspicious to wear shades indoors?" I asked, and she scoffed.
I could feel the limo starting up, and Lorraine took off her coat, revealing a stylish black turtleneck.
"So…were there any problems?" She asked, curious. I looked away.
"Well…" I started, and I heard her groan in annoyance.
"…I did forget to wear my contacts for most of the flight." I confessed, and she laughed.
"Typical Bea."
I saw that Lorraine didn't have her wedding ring on.
"Did you have another fight with-." She glared at me.
"Don't say his name." She groaned. I sighed.
"What was it this time?" I asked, and she got out her phone.
Five seconds later, she showed me a picture of her husband, Gowen, half naked, with a girl on top of him.
"What a douche." I said angrily. Lorraine had a grin on her face after I cursed.
"So you're looking for a boy toy? At my niece's coronation ceremony?" I asked in disbelief. She rolled her eyes.
"Oh don't worry about it. I'll only steal the Earl of Pakest for a few minutes." She grinned. Typical Lorraine.
"Oh, make out with my cousin. Really classy."
Her orange eyes flared playfully, and she rolled down the window.
"Damn, it's stuffy in here."
I nodded, and opened a tablet built into the limo. I selected the drink I wanted, Blood Type AB. As soon as I selected it, the crimson fluid poured out, filling the cup.
"You know, it really does get you thinking." I acknowledged. Lorraine looked up from her cellphone.
"I hadn't had to 'feed' off of a mortal since 1890. It's amazing how technology makes it so easy for us." I said, sipping the drink. Lorraine's attention turned towards her phone, not paying attention.
Sighing, I continued to finish my drink, and set it towards the side.
"We're here!" Lorraine squealed, pushing the button on the car door to activate the sun roof.
As we approached the castle, I had flashes of memories of my times here. It's been ages.
I saw the outer gardens, elegantly covered in a blanket of green, the vines even wrapping around the fountain that was hand-carved over four hundred years ago.
Looking towards the castle's front balconies, I remembered the outdoor dinner theatres, where the actors would reenact the scene from Romeo and Juliet. One of my favorite plays.
Once we pulled up into one of the driveways, I hopped out of the car, and ran inside, where I was greeted by over twenty servants.
"Welcome, milady." They greeted in unison. I curtsied.
"Why thank you." I said politely. Their faces were puzzled, as if they've never seen someone my age curtsy.
"Can you be a dear and take my coat to the guest room?" I asked, removing my coat and handing it to the maid.
"Which one?" She asked.
"Room twelve." I answered, and brushed my bangs out of my face.
As I followed the maid to my room, I felt hands wrap around me in a hug from behind.
"Woah!" I shouted, and I removed the hands, revealing the new heir to Sangea, my niece.
"Aunt Beatrice!" She shouted, and hugged me once again. I smiled.
"Well, if it isn't Yani. Excited to be queen?" I asked, and she nodded, though her eyebrows shifted in nervousness.
Yani looked like my physical age, nineteen. She had short, straightened hair dressed in a silver crown and earrings, wearing an off-shoulder tank top with black pants, which bounced off her blinding white skin, and her soft red eyes reminded me of my own.
"I was just about to get a spa treatment, so my skin will look great for coronation." She said.
"You already look beautiful." I answered truthfully. Yani was always unsure about herself.
"Well, why don't you come with me?" She asked, and she grabbed my hand and we turned to the other direction of the hallway.
As we walked into the garage, Yani fished out her car keys from her pockets. She clicked the horn, and I heard a loud honking coming from the red Jaguar from the corner of the room.
We both climbed in, and Yani cranked her keys, and heard the rumble of the luxurious car activate.
After we backed out, she drove through the gardens, until we were stopped by the front gates.
Yani put her arm off of the car, and drove closer to a keypad on the gate.
Once she typed in the keycode, I could hear the gates automatically open, and Yani floored it.