1 Prologue

The old city of London was shrouded in mist, illuminated by the glow of gas lamps lining the cobblestone streets. It was a time of steam engines and factories, of bustling commerce, and of hidden secrets.

Arthur had known the streets of this great metropolis since he was a child, surviving by any means necessary. Since he was young he had no family, no home, and no future. He was merely one of the countless orphans living in the shadows, trying to stay alive by whatever means possible.

On a chilly night, Arthur huddled in a damp alleyway, trying to escape the biting wind. He shivered and wrapped his threadbare coat around his own thin frame.

"Is this… really all there is for me?"

Suddenly, a woman appeared out of the darkness. She was stunning, with long dark hair and a full red long cloak draped around her shoulders. She looked at him with intense blue eyes, as if she could see into his very soul.

"Would you fancy a warm meal, my dear boy?" she asked in a compelling and melodious voice.

Arthur's stomach growled at the mention of food. He nodded eagerly, grateful for the offer.

Shortly after, the woman led him to a cozy pub, where they sat by the fire and enjoyed a hearty meal. Arthur was amazed at the delicious food, something he hadn't experienced in a long time. He savored every bite, enjoying the warmth and comfort of the pub like it was his last meal as if he was some death row inmate.

Looking up at the woman, she smiled at Arthur who noted she wasn't having any good of her own, 'only water?'

"What is your name child?" The woman sat across from Arthur, looking at him with a soft gaze.

"Arthur. My name is… Arthur." Arthur looked up from the plate, hunched over like it might be stolen from him at any moment.

"Arthur, …what a lovely name. You may call me Victoria." Victoria gazed at Arthur with a look as if trying to discern something important about him.

"Thank you… for the meal, Victoria." Arthur bowed his head slightly towards the woman.

"Haha, you are most welcome. Go on and finish up." Victoria giggled in response almost half-heartedly, Arthur nodding his head in return.

As Arthur finished his meal, he gulped down the last remaining water in his flask and sighed in relief, shortly after Victoria paid the bill and left the pub with Arthur following shortly behind her.

Pacing through the streets, Victoria walked onward while periodically turning back and waving for Arthur to follow her.

Victoria led him down a dark alleyway, and before he could react, Victoria spun around in a blur of blinding speed, her eyes bright red and adorned by clearly visible veins on her pale face, and her teeth elongated to the point they could be called fangs.

She lunged at Arthur who tried to dodge but he was too slow, Victoria grabbed him by the shoulder and sunk her extended teeth deep into his neck.

Arthur tried to pull away but his feeble body was no match for her almost supernatural strength, screaming in pain and terror as the world around him spun rapidly and shortly after everything turned black.

Groaning in response to the pain of an overwhelming migraine, Arthur rose from a set of sheets slowly lifting his head off a soft pillow.

He had woken up in a strange room, disoriented and confused. Arthur looked around, trying to figure out where he was. The room was incredibly opulent, with silk curtains and plush velvet furniture. Looking around the room was dark with minimal sunlight pouring in through the glass pane windows.

Arthur sat up and saw the woman from the night before sitting in a chair nearby.

"You're awake," she said, her eyes glinting with amusement.

Arthur touched his neck, where he had felt the woman's bite. It was sore, but the wound had already healed.

"What did you do to me?" he demanded, his voice hoarse.

"I turned you into a vampire, my dear boy," the woman said with a smile.

Arthur's mind reeled with the implications. He had always heard of vampires, creatures of the night who preyed on the living. He had never thought he would become one of them, He realized with a disorienting shock that he himself was no longer human.

"Why?" he asked, his voice shaking.

The woman looked at him with a mix of amusement and curiosity.

"You intrigue me, Arthur," she said. "You have a fire in you, a spark of something special." "I wanted to see what would happen if I turned you into a vampire."

Arthur felt a sense of betrayal. He had trusted this woman, and now she had changed him into a monster. But he knew better, to trust someone so suddenly was surely his own mistake.

"What happens now?" he asked, his voice low.

The woman stood up and walked towards him. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and he felt a jolt of electricity.

"Now, you learn to survive in this world," she said. "You will learn to hunt, feed, and thrive." You are my progeny, Arthur. "And I will teach you everything you need to know."

Arthur felt a mix of fear and excitement. He was no longer human, but he was also no longer alone. He had a new purpose and a new life to discover. and he knew that nothing would ever be the same again.

"You have nothing to fear from me child… I am your family now." Arthur looked up at Victoria, his eyes showing a clear and startled expression.

"Hmph, how cute… like I said I am your family now, of course there are a few others who I'll have to introduce you to. Would you like to go meet them?" Victoria smiling as the words left her lips.

Arthur stared up at her "A few… others?" Arthur asked.