It is Travastierian tradition for the ruler to have a partner. I never truly understood the appeal of love considering my rather unpleasant experiences, but if I wish to keep public opinion in my favor I must comply. The line up of concubines and concubinus stood before me with blank stares as if they feared to look me in the eye. I don’t blame them if they felt that way though.

My eyes scanned each one with my interest waning more and more as I continued to down the line. They all were basically the same vampire except with different hair, and it bored me… until I saw one that stood out from the rest. It was the scent of a rare human. My gaze wandered to that single person who stood alongside the other vampires, undetected as the outlier. There’s only one thing a human could be doing in a court of vampires… they were on a mission to assassinate me.

With a smirk on my face I made myself over to this misplaced person, taking their hand and planting a soft kiss on their knuckles. They looked at me with shock before their face quickly returned to something more stoic. How charming they are to be surprised by my compliance.

“You, you will rule Travastier with me,” I cooed to them, my grin growing wider to show off my fangs. I could tell this was going to be a fun game of cat and mouse.