The most common upon maturing is scarlet. These vampires are known for their fertility and beauty. They are sent to Kin, the most glittering of our districts, where they inevitably secure excellent marriages among the socialites of our kind.
Those with titian eyes enter the entertainment section, Las Prinix, where there’s a constant stream of music, acting, and dancing. There are even a handful of studios that produce shows and movies for streaming across the continent.
The cerulean-eyed ones dedicate their eternities to science and mathematics in Lancaster. Several of the world’s most groundbreaking advances come from this part of New Ve, and the pride in Father’s voice is unmistakable when he talks about them.
Golden-eyed vampires find themselves bound for Terreperth, a district full of gyms and armories, ready to hone our strongest into athletes or generals. New Ve’s army is small but well-known. When two of our neighboring cities broke into a territory war, Father sent our forces to aid the king of Dridcu, a vampire he’s known for centuries, even before our world split into the six cities.
Then there’s Sul, a quaint quarter bursting with artists and writers. Home to the vampires who mature with emerald eyes. It’s my hope that I will spend the rest of my days in Sul, doing what I love—reading and gardening. All those annoying questions and secret worries will evaporate, just as Father intended when he created his tidy, color-coded system. His perfect kingdom.
Everything else—hard labor and menial work—vampires leave to the humans.
“Are you hungry?” Mother asks, drawing my mind back to the present. “Would you like me to send you my favorite feeder? He’s been eating oranges for weeks, so his blood is quite divine.”
“No, thanks. I appreciate the offer, though.”
“Well… good luck tomorrow,” she murmurs. It seems an odd thing to say, and a frown tugs at the corners of my mouth. Pretending not to notice how her words have affected me, Mother drops the barest of kisses on my forehead and turns away.
Maybe it’s the fact my life is about to change that lends me courage. I twist on the stool, watching her move toward the door, and gather air in my lungs. “Why do you hate me?” I ask my mother’s retreating back.
The question is quiet, barely more than a whisper, but the room is so still that even a human would be able to hear it. Mother stands at the threshold for a moment, silent as the graves we fill with our victims. As that moment stretches into another one, my heart stumbles with childish disbelief. Holy shit. She’s actually going to answer.
For the first time in my twenty-three years, my mother will tell the truth of why she’s never loved me.
“Don’t be silly, Charlotte,” she says finally, the words slicing through the air like a cat o’ nine tails. With that, she leaves the room, hardly making a sound as the door closes behind her.
I stare at the paneled wood, that gleaming knob, even after she’s gone. My heart feels like there’s a bruise on it. I’m disappointed, but not surprised. Just because this is a time of change doesn’t mean everything will.
Sighing again, I drift into the marble bathroom to finish getting ready. The final touch is placing a light, golden crown on my head. Every offspring of the Vampire King is given their own once our baby fangs fall out around our twelfth year.
When I’m done, I don’t bother fixing the curls that fall messily around the crown. Instead, I grab the parchment Gabriela left on the vanity and crawl into my luxurious, four-poster bed that takes up most of the room. I slide my finger under the wax seal—Father is as old-school as they come—and, with a deep breath, I unfold the paper to start reading. His handwriting is an artform, made entirely of elegant curves and confident loops.
My dearest Charlotte,
This is a time of great change. Tomorrow, you will experience your Awakening. You will open your eyes and accept your place in this world, as countless others before you have done, and I have no doubt you’ll shine in any district. I, of course, have hopes you’ll move to Sul, close enough you’ll be able to visit your old man from time to time, and somewhere you’ll have the opportunity to explore your fondness for the written word. Know that wherever you find yourself, I will always love you, my cherished child.
My eternal love,
Father
Blinking the tears away, I look around for a place to store it that will be safe from my sisters and the cleaning staff. My gaze falls on the box Alexei made for me. How fitting. Smiling softly, I move to the table in a blur, tuck the letter inside, and return to bed.
As I pull the bedclothes over me, I think of how the letter is physical proof of what I already know—that Father isn’t always the hard creature everyone else sees. I can still recall the days where I would sit on the floor of his study and listen to him speak about his homeland. The far-off look of fondness in his eyes made the Vampire King look almost… human.
Though I try to fight it, a second image flits through me—another Fledging sitting cross-legged on that Persian rug. Another daughter listening to the Vampire King’s stories of the past. The darkness in my chest unfurls enormous, gossamer wings, and I have to push them back down by acknowledging the truth I’m so desperate to avoid.
I’m terrified of a life outside those gates.
Just admitting it seems to release some tension inside me—to my surprise and utter relief, the weight of sleep tugs at my mind. I bury myself deeper in the silk sheets. Within moments, I let it pull me into darkness.
Though the Travestys don’t believe in any god, there’s a prayer on my lips. A wordless plea for eyes as green as the growing things in my garden. I’m not a fool—I know that I’m not meant for great things. But it doesn’t seem like much to ask for happiness.
With this thought, a fragile smile upon my lips, I succumb to dreams of Sul. To the green, green streets of my future.
Chapter Two
Someone titters, then instantly gets hushed.
The scent of multiple perfumes stings my nostrils. Without opening my eyes, I know my suite is full of other royals, their pulses slow and exhales faint. My own heart threatens to pick up speed, but I keep a fierce hold over it, breathing in and out with perfect serenity. I want to be ready when I face them. When I wake up and walk into a new life.
Then, with another slow, steady breath, I finally open my eyes.
One of my cousins is leaning over me, a sliver of pale moonlight accenting the sharp angles of her face. She’s probably hoping for the first look. When her gaze meets mine, her eyes widen as horror blossoms over her round face. My breathing becomes ragged. I sit up, prompting gasps from the other vampires in my room. The crown rests beside me—it must have fallen off while I slept. I search the faces around me, hoping one of them will hint at what’s happening. In my frantic search, my eyes land on a human in the corner, wearing the drab clothing of a feeder.
When a vampire Awakens, they are ravenous. Even now, in a moment strife with confusion, the monster claws at the back of my throat. I want that feeder. I want the vein I can see throbbing in her neck from across the room.
“By the blood, what is it?” I manage, reluctantly tearing my gaze away from the dull-eyed human. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Mother!”