Chapter 3 The Introduction Party

I lay sprawled in the fields outside my home, a large mansion reading a novel, basking in the late afternoon sun. Ever since getting, I had gotten my sunlight spell on my 21st birthday, I had enjoyed the warmth of the sun on my skin. I had missed this, running through the fields, horse riding, even the maids-

"Rhea!" Naina said as if on cue. Naina had been the daughter of the nanny who had nursed her from birth. I had seen her playing in the stables and we've been best friends ever since then, never been separated even tho she was as human as I was a vampire.

Well... Half-vampire.

Vampires were known to be a cold and unfeeling species except when it was with their blood match, a female vampire. Yet, my father had found a mate with a human. She had been a hooker and had made his heart beat again after they'd shared a kiss. Unable to let her go, he kidnapped and then raped her. Moments after birthing me, she had thrown herself off the balcony, ending her life and my uncle had taken me under his wings after.

Naina looked down her nose at me with a hand on her waist as she scowled taking in my muddy legs.

"Did you roll around with the pigs? Why are you so dirty? You're going to get sunstroke staying too long under the sun like this. Get up"

"To answer your question, I did not roll around with the pigs, I fed them and two, I can't get sunstroke because I'm not human remember?"

She nodded in affirmation but then pointed at the house.

"Get up, you've been summoned by Lord Kinun"

Dusting my palms on my already dirty gown, I shouted over my shoulders as I raced into the house.

"Last person in will grant the other a wish"

Naina laughed in return, racing after me. She was always up for a challenge.

I burst in through the doors a few seconds after her and watched as she held her knees catching her breath. Just two years ago, I was like that.

Naturally born vampires keep growing until they reach their prime and then when they're at their strongest, their immortality kicks in and their heart stills. Only your blood match can make it beat again.

Unfortunately, most vampires don't find their match because naturally born females were few and infertile. Yet our numbers never dwindled because King Kenrik had taken to turning sick humans to replenish our numbers. He would appear to terminally ill humans like a knight in shining armor promising life if they swore loyalty to him. Foolishly, they took up his offer leaving behind their past lives for one where they're cursed with insatiable blood lust. Cursed to drink from the same species they had originated from.

They never seemed to regret their choices though. Bloodlust to them seemed to be a small price to pay for heightened speed and hearing, sharpened smell and an almost immortal life.

The turned human females rarely survived the transition, the few who did were crazed with bloodlust and had to be put down or imprisoned, their only use for breeding.

I shuddered, feeling pity for their existence. Vampirism was a curse and yet I was a hypocrite because I did enjoy the perks of being a vampire. While Naina panted from the long run, I remained unwinded. She knew I had let her win because she stuck out her tongue at me as I climbed up the stairs.

Knocking on the door to my uncle's studio, I let myself in after hearing his grunt.

His wheezing could be heard as he looked up at me. He had an even paler complexion than the last time I'd seen him. Two weeks ago, when I'd flown back home from college after receiving his letter informing me of his 'little' accident. The King had invited him to the castle for polo, a horseback sport which King Kenrik thoroughly enjoyed and hosted once a year. During the game, the king's mallet had somehow slipped from his hand and had smashed into my uncle's chest shattering into a hundred pieces. Most had been dug out but some pieces were too tiny to be seen.

The toxins in the splintered wood were already taking a toll on him.

He raised an eyebrow at my soiled clothes scrutinizing me but before he could say a word, a barking cough racked through him and he turned away raising a handkerchief to his lips to cover his mouth and the white came away stained with blood.

He wiped his lips vigorously before facing me once again.

"As you know, there is a yearly introductory party at the castle for the newly turned vampires. The ones who have been deemed stable are introduced into society. As a high ranking official, I would need to go but I'm currently weak and unable to. You would need to go in my stead."

My head whipped up in alarm and he raised a hand to calm me down.

" Of course, you'll be escorted and your guards would never leave your side"

It was still not enough. As one of the few half-vampires in the city, I was called names and treated with disdain anytime I went to a gathering with the pure-blooded vampires. It had never ended well.

Half-vampires were treated less than servants and considered impure. Growing up was hard. My classmates had found being in the same class with me revolting and had vented out their anger physically. It also didn't help that as a half-vampire, I was very much weaker than a pure one.

When my uncle, Lord Kinun found out about the bullying, he withdrew and had me homeschooled. Anytime I went out, I was followed by menacing guards. Yet that didn't stop the whispers and stares, especially when I went to public places like the mall. Sometimes I craved a change of scenery and begged Naina to sneak me out to her home in the next city but she was always too terrified of my uncle to even dare.

My first time in 24 years leaving the city was for my masters and yet, my uncle always made sure I checked in daily by 7 pm. One time, when I had had a few drinks with Naina and some human friends and had dozed off on the couch in my apartment. We had been awakened by a loud knock on the room's door. A furious Lord Kinun had been at the other side of the door, shouting in fury and worry about not being able to reach me, absolutely fearing the worst.

He always stressed how terrifying the vampire society and humans were. How the humans would capture or worse still, do unspeakable things if they ever knew what I was, It didn't matter if I'd never killed before and only bought drugs from blood bags. In their eyes, I was vile and unnatural.

Life with the vampires was not any better. Being one of the few unmatched females, every unmatched male gave me a once over, wanting to touch me or at least make a conversation to see if I could make their hearts beat again. The only makes I trusted were my uncle and two guards, both happily matched with their females.

"The party starts at 6 pm. Unless you want to be late, I suggest you start getting ready now", my uncle said dismissing me.

I matched to my room, and took off my soiled clothes, threw them into the laundry basket and plodded into the bathroom.

After shampooing my hair and scrubbing my body, I get out of the bathroom to find Pen, the daughter of one of the live-in housekeepers waiting by the dressing table, a lilac-looking bundle in her arm.

She doesn't take long to apply my make-up and get my straight blonde hair into an elegant updo, holding it in place with a silver hair clasp. The dress is a fitted lilac satin gown which feels so lustrous and soft as I run my fingers across it. The cowl neckline shows off my collarbone and slim shoulders, The thin straps crisscross at the back, with it ending at my waist where the silhouette molds into my ass hugging my figure as it ends in a train.

I quickly wear a water drop diamond earrings and glance at the clock on the wall. Shit! Two hours had passed.

Sliding into silver strapped heels, I grabbed my purse and raced out of my room almost colliding with Naina in the corridor.

She whistles when she sees me and claps her hands in glee.

"You look good. When was the last time I saw you in a gown? Wow! I would have loved to tag along but I don't want to be anyone's dinner so off you go", she said ushering me down the stairs and into the Mercedes-Benz sedan waiting outside.

"Have fun!" She shouted, nodding to the driver as he put the gear in reverse. "Don't forget to call!"

As the car drove down the driveway, I felt a surge of foreboding raced through my spine.