1 Chapter 1: Summons

“Today looks like peaceful day. I will finally finish working on the enchanted forest painting” I murmured to myself.

Staring at the mirror early morning was a norm for me. For a minute, I did not recognize the beast looking back at me. I could not tell if it was my father or me. His portrait that hung in the middle of the hall was a spitting image, so they said. Icy blue cold eyes, white hair, a smirk on the face, and hands that could kill anyone. I was a monster. And I loved it.

Being a Vampire King, it expected. They had trained my body and mind for it since I was only ten years old when my parents died. They taught me everything about managing the coven by my grandfather and when he passed away when I was the age of eighteen, I became the Vampire King Salvatore Ryss.

My senses heightened when I heard footsteps approaching the bedroom door. I listened in and knew it was Tristan Xander. He was the vampire coven advisor and my right-hand man. He was wise and kind, a trait that was required of his position. Something must be wrong for him to disturb my peaceful days.

“Greetings, your Highness,” he whispered when he was nearby.

He knew I hated to be disturbed over minor matters that the vampire council could handle. He could only come to me for matters that were beyond their capacity.

“Tristan, I wonder how many times I have instructed not to be interrupted. Unless, they no longer value their heads.”

But Tristan was thick-skinned. He had been with me for over a century and did not fear my threats. He knew when to push my buttons and when to withdraw. “Your Highness, The Sila council has summoned you.”

“Summoned? Who dares?” My voice boomed over the villa.

All I wanted was to be left alone in my solitary life. I hate interactions with anyone and mostly the Sila council. This was required of a Vampire King. The less you spend time with vampires, the better for your peace of mind.

Over the years, there had been peace in the Coven. I made this possible by ensuring the Coven had a council to manage all affairs. Give them the power to run it while keeping them scared of you. It was my motto, and I thrived on it. Good governance, I would say.

“The Sila council elders have requested your presence.” Tristan was smart enough to sugar-coat his words this time. “There were thirty shifters killed last night. From the findings, it looks like vampire killings. There is unrest in the shifter clans, and they have requested your presence in the Sila council so that they can come to an agreement.”

I turned around and smiled at Tristan. “Why the f*ck isn't the vampire coven council handling such affairs? Are they just paid to drink and make merry? Tell them to handle it and give me a report once done.”

“The new Alpha insisted that your presence was vital for this meeting. The council is at a standstill on the matter of the killings. We need to urgently address this, your Highness.” Tristan ended the sentence in a whisper.

What right does any mutt have to request my presence? But what worried me the most was the unrest the shifter clans could cause. Judging by their tempers and anger issues they would drag it into a mess. I stared at Tristan, pushing him into the fear of pressing the matter further. But he stood his ground, but I could see how his hands trembled.

“Who is the new Alpha? A young mutt wants to have a meeting with the vampire king?” I smirked.

“Your Highness, his name is Lycus Ahren. He comes from the Alpha King bloodline of the Ahren clan. They say he is powerful yet wise. He sent a request saying he would like this solved as quickly as possible.” Behind Tristan's words was a voice of admiration that I had never heard before. What was this?

“Powerful?” I muttered in an icy voice.

Tristan realized his mistake and smiled. "But no one is as powerful as you, Your Highness.”

“Tsk, you are getting good at sugar-coating your words by the years.”

“I wouldn't dare, Your Highness.” His response made me smile.

The Eshe realm was the home of Shifters and Vampires. Each with a territory of its own. The Shifters lived deep in the beautiful mountains surrounded by rivers.

As a young Vampire, my grandfather once took me into the pack territory to watch the train. It awed me how powerful they were and knew that I could not underestimate them. The whole place looked magically covered in mist all year round.

The coven was set in the city of beautiful tall buildings made of Gold. Extravagance thrived in the city as vampires lived a luxurious life. Gambling, shopping, fine dining, entertainment, and nightlife was the norm. The city had a cover when the sun rose and when it set the cover automatically opened. Vampires worked freely regardless of the restriction of being hurt by the sun.

My Villa sat at the edge of the city and the coven members rarely visited unless it was an urgent matter. The villa was connected to the coven council hall and the coven archive library to facilitate interactions between me and the coven council. All year round they would try to pull me into nonsensical functions, but I would have Tristan decline politely.

Over the last one hundred years, there were unsettled silent wars between the two breeds and whispers in the streets about each wanting to be in control. But I would have Tristan quench those rumors and even behead anyone who attempts to talk about it.

In between the border, was the Sila fortress which meant peace. The Council of Sila was the one that was formed years back when the Vampires and Shifter signed peace treaty centuries ago. My late parents handled the treaty, and they had handed it down as part of the rules of the Eshe Realm was to abide by the peace between the two clans.

When my grandfather's end of life and my ascending to the throne happened, he made me promise; I would protect the coven and never allow us to fight the shifter clan. Hence my rule of the coven was to instill fear in everyone and have them covered by abiding by the rule. This was the only way.

A room full of shifters was not my cup of tea at all. But it would be fun for me to threaten and make them tremble in fear. As long as fear existed between the two clans, peace would reign.

“I trust you, Tristan. I’m sure you can handle this matter amicably.” This was a way to praise his abilities while dismissing him politely.

Silence filled the room. I knew what this meant. My advisor was too stubborn, or things were bad. He stood in silence, pretending to looking dumb. I squinted my eyes at him, and he took a step forward.

“Your Highness. I would strongly advise that you attend this meeting.”

I raised my hands in annoyance. “Fine. You know I hate leaving the castle for matters that the Coven council can handle. Why the hell are they paid?”

I headed to the bathroom feeling pushed into a corner, but the worry was in the back of my mind. An hour later, the convoy of cars was speeding into the underground tunnels headed to the Sila Fortress. It existed centuries ago and was manned by a council that comprised vampires and shifters' elders. Assigned by each clan, they had no choice but to abide by the Sila council.

As we got near the Sila Fortress, I reviewed the information that Tristan had given me, and I realized something was off. I racked my brain and came up with nothing.

“Is there anything you haven't told me?” The threat in my voice was clear. I could tell Tristan had held back some information.

“Your Highness, this time, it looks like the rogues in our coven did the killings. I have sent a special team to track them down before the shifters do. I fear that if the shifter finds them, it will be worse for the coven.”

I closed my eyes in rage. It was easy to let the anger consume me when it was convenient and to keep clear enough to deal with traitors and rogues. I knew the people in my coven had. Shameless, unruly, and extravagant. I had let them be as long as they never killed. And now here we were. They had forced my hand.

“I hope the coven has not accepted it’s to blame.”

Tristan’s silence was the answer I did not need to hear. Dammit, my quiet days were over.

“Why the f*ck are you silent, Tristan? The most important thing is the peace treaty between the clans. Unless I am dead, no one accepts we did these killings.” My voice boomed in the car. I was taking my anger out on him.

I sighed and cursed. “Once you find them, don't kill them. I will deal with them my way. I hope you sent Leonardo as part of the special team?”

My voice was deadly enough for Tristan to shrink back into the seat. Leonardo Ryss was my younger brother. He was the General in charge of the military affairs for the Vampire. I promoted him to give him more responsibilities. He was lazy and cheeky as a child. I worried about him since he would take over the throne one day.

“Your Highness, Leonardo is at the council meeting. He could not come into an agreement with the Alpha Lycus.”

“Why should I show mercy to these b*stards? If Leonardo could handle this, then I should demote him. He is an embarrassment to the Ryss name.”

“You promoted him, Your Highness. We can’t demote him,” Tristan yapped.

“Shut up, Tristan”

“Yes, Your highness.”

When we arrived, I got out of the car and walked into the Fortress; I calculated each step in anger. The guards at the gates oozed of fear, and this made me more confident that the meeting would be a piece of cake. I would walk in, promise to investigate the matter, threaten everyone, and then leave. Simple.

Tristan ushered me into the Council meeting, after they announced my presence, and all the council members stood up in greetings. I snubbed the forced greetings and headed to the chair that Tristan gestured and sat down.

The council members audibly gasped. The outside world had not seen me for over three hundred years. I guessed they expected an old geezer-aged Vampire King. The smell of mutts that hit my nose was disgusting. How did I get dragged into this crap?

My eyes turned to look at Tristan in annoyance, but he turned his head away in pretense. I searched the room and found Leonardo, who bowed his head in shame. How was I related to this cowardly bastard? How is it that the General of my army could not handle this? I should starve him for weeks and take away his fun for a while. I sighed heavily and my fingers tapped the table, showing my impatience.

“Your Highness the Vampire King!” a voice boomed at the opposite end of the room.

My eyes turned at the end of the council table and time stood still. There stood a man who made the hairs on the back of my neck rise.

He had a nose that was close to being wide. His full lips were pulled down at the corners, but he didn't hide the fact that his mouth was wide. His eyes pulled all the rest together to create the perfect face. They were the color of the setting sun's rays, dark brown. His ebony hair fell past his shoulders in shiny, silken waves. His shoulder blades were wide, and his arms looked strong.

Was he in the wrong place? What was he doing in the council meeting?

My thoughts were interrupted when he cleared his throat. How long had I been in a daze staring at him?

“Who the f*ck are you?” I asked in annoyance.