Attacked By Vampires

At Midnight.

Maxine found herself much busier than yesterday. Her maids had packed all her belongings, including the few pots of medicines left in her chambers, which were arranged in a separate chamber and distributed to those in need. The ingredients for making the medicines were packed alongside a few of her clothes and other necessities.

Today was the day she had always dreamt of—a day taken right from her imagination.

She had envisioned this very scenario, being escorted into a luxurious carriage from the palace, along with other carriages laden with her belongings.

Beside her, she had her younger brother, Duncan. Although it was unconventional to bring a family member along to live in the palace, she couldn't bear to leave her eight-year-old brother with her wicked stepmother and indifferent father. Besides, Prince Maverick and the elder royals had no objections.

Maxine's mother had passed away immediately after giving birth to Duncan when Maxine was just ten years old. Life had become incredibly challenging for her since then. However, Maxine was a courageous and determined girl, and she fought hard to secure a better life.

Even at a young age, Maxine saw limited opportunities, but with the help of her friend, who happened to be a prince, she had learned the art of healing. After extensive study and practice, she had become proficient at treating various illnesses by the age of thirteen.

But at the age of fifteen, a plague swept through the kingdom of Beddington. Despite efforts from healers brought in from different kingdoms, the plague remained unconquerable. Maxine, however, had been researching the plague and eventually discovered a cure. She saved her people from the disease's grasp.

As word spread of her miraculous ability to heal, Maxine's name echoed throughout the kingdom and beyond. Some regarded her as a young healer with gifted hands, while others labeled her a witch. Nonetheless, she continued to heal and amass wealth.

Maxine was snapped out of her thoughts by her little brother's voice. "Maxine..."

"What is it, Duncan? Do you need something?" She whispered softly. Her brown eyes focused on the young boy sitting across from her in the luxurious carriage. Duncan had the same eyes, and they bore a striking resemblance, both having the appearance of angels.

"Isn't Father coming with us?"

Maxine sighed, but she looked down at him and smiled. "Father will visit us occasionally, alright?"

Duncan's small smile brought warmth to Maxine's heart.

She couldn't comprehend why Duncan, her little brother, had such a close bond with a man who treated him poorly. It seemed that Duncan loved his father more than her, but Maxine had no control over her brother's emotions. Perhaps blood was indeed thicker than water.

However, as the journey to the palace continued in the dead of night, Maxine felt an uneasy sensation creeping into her chest. A sense of foreboding, as if something significant was about to occur.

She slowly drew back the curtain covering the carriage window to look outside. She was met with utter darkness and a cold breeze that sent shivers down her spine. On instinct, she let the curtain fall.

Maxine was already cold, but now, she felt even colder.

"Tighten your coat, Duncan. The weather has taken an ominous turn. You might fre—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Duncan rose from his seat and moved to sit beside her. He wrapped his arms around her. "I'm cold, Maxine."

"As you should be," Maxine replied, trying to shake off her own chill. The temperature had dropped abruptly, leaving her puzzled.

She was the only family Duncan had in this carriage. Her father, stepmother, and stepsisters rode in other carriages. Guards walked alongside the carriages to ensure their safety.

A maid sat across from her, initially seated next to Duncan, but Maxine had ordered her to stay silent. The maid had a tendency to talk excessively, mainly about Maverick's eagerness to see Maxine after many days.

According to tradition, the betrothed couple wasn't allowed to see each other for sixteen days before the wedding. This was one of the customary rituals. Maxine had spent her time writing letters to Maverick, as she couldn't bear a day without setting foot in the palace.

"How are you feeling now, Duncan?" Maxine asked with concern, but she barely felt the cold that he did.

"Better. You're with me," Duncan replied in a soft voice, which brought a smile to Maxine's face.

The maid, sitting across from them, observed Maxine and her younger brother with tenderness. However, Maxine couldn't ignore the shivers wracking the maid's small frame due to the cold.

Unsure of what to do, Maxine glanced at Duncan and then back at the maid. "Hannah, are you feeling cold too?"

Hannah nodded and replied, "Yes, My Lady. It feels as if we're graced by the presence of a clan—"

"Of vampires?" Maxine finished for her, chuckling softly. "I see that everyone has been enchanted by the book 'The Duke of Ashbourne.'"

Hannah smiled before saying, "Yes, My Lady. The book is set in the North, where the Dukedom supposedly exists. It's said to be just a town away from our kingdom."

"And you believe that as well?"

"Yes, My Lady."

Exasperated by the discussion's persistence, Maxine exclaimed, "That's the thing. The author has enchanted her book to make everyone excessively intrigued. How could such a Dukedom exist just a town away, and we have no knowledge of it? If it were real, people would have visited long ago, but it's not even on the map."

Hannah appeared challenged but replied, "Yes, My Lady. It's because the Duke of Ashbourne has chosen to keep it hidden from the outside world. Soon enough, all will be revealed, and we'll see it with our own eyes."

Duncan raised his head and looked at his sister. "What are vampires?"

"They are mythical creatures said to survive by drinking blood, Duncan. But trust me, they don't exist," Maxine assured him, though 'vampires' had become quite the trend.

However, as Maxine explained the creatures to her little brother, the carriage abruptly came to a halt. Her head lightly hit the carriage's wall, and the world around her spun into darkness.

The carriage had stopped moving.

"I'll go check what happened, My Lady," Hannah said before stepping out of the carriage. But the moment she disappeared, Maxine heard a loud cry, echoing her own voice.

Curiosity gripped Maxine, and she turned to her little brother. "Stay here and don't come out, alright? I'll go see what's going on."

Duncan nodded, and Maxine took that as her cue to investigate. However, when she stepped outside, she was met with a shocking sight—Hannah's lifeless body lay on the ground, drenched in blood.

Confused and alarmed, Maxine looked around and noticed that the carriages trailing behind them had stopped some distance away.

With trembling hands and tears in her eyes, she knelt beside Hannah's body, trying to wake her as if she had merely fallen asleep. However, before she could do more, a heavy object struck the back of her head, and darkness engulfed her.