Prologue
The year is 1958 and the Human species know nothing of the existence of Vampires.
The Vampire community mostly keeps among their own kind and live in separate towns from the Humans. Although they visit the Human populated areas sometimes, they always act and dress correctly for the time. But when they are amongst their own kind they often act and dress like it is the early twentieth century, late nineteenth century.
“Kohl, you are fifty-years-old and my heir. We may stop aging in our twenties, but it doesn’t mean I will never want to hand the throne down to you. It is time for you to choose your bride.” His father, James had hinted about it often enough. But Kohl was holding out.
He was far from a virgin, though he hadn’t been intimate in some years. The matter of fact was he had already chosen his bride but hadn’t told anyone as he knew his father would reject the joining before it happened.
“That is why you are hosting this ball?” He asked his father from the privacy of a side room. But the music and celebrations could still be heard.
“Of course. That is why I have had all eligible females of a higher rank travel here.”
Kohl had wondered why so many eyes were on him as he passed the room to enter this one.
“This is the plan,” James began to explain. “We will exit this room and you will talk, dance, whatever you need to do to find your bride. Dawn is around five, so you have until then to find her. You will take her to your room and complete the joining. Then tomorrow night we will host the second half of the ball were we announce her.” He gave his son a sympathetic look.
“I wanted you to find someone who you love but you will learn to care for your bride.”
“Who can I choose?”
“Anyone in the ballroom which is not already wed. No female in the room is off-limits.”
A small smile appeared on Kohl’s face. “What if I have already chosen a bride but she is promised to another? But she is in the room?”
“You have?” James asked surprised. “Is that why I haven’t heard any rumours of your sexual promiscuity in recent times?” He remembered his son was once the talk of the court, he had a new woman every other day.
“Yes. But I know she is promised, so I have neither approached her or you on the matter,” Kohl confessed.
“You are the Prince of England and heir to the throne of the most powerful royal vampire clan in the world. Any father would willingly break a promise to have you wed their daughter. That is why they are included in your selection. If they haven’t already wed or joined with the man, then you can choose her.”
“Any female in the ballroom? You promise?” He asked with hope and happiness in his eyes that his father rarely saw in his son recently. “What if she isn’t of full age?”
“Anyone at all. Anyone of the women in there. All the single ones are yours to choose from. Even under twenty-fives,” His father said thinking of the few who were promised to others. One being his sister’s twenty-one-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, Princess of France.
Born vampires only stop aging and become a full vampire in their mid-twenties. If a male or female complete the vampire mating / joining before that age, it can change and stop them aging earlier. For them reasons most vampire’s wait until they are at least thirty to wed.
“Thank you, father. I am going to socialize and pretend to be interested in these other women before I make my secret escape to...” Kohl’s excitement faded as he looked at his smiling father. “Are you sure I can choose anyone, father, because remember the tie is unbreakable once I join with her?”
James rolled his eyes but looked amused. “Son, I am one-hundred and sixty-two years old. I know all these rules better than you.” Despite being so old he, like his son, only looked in his mid to late twenties.
“I am not like other fathers, I only ever wanted you to be with someone who makes you happy. I know I am king, but it doesn’t make me heartless. I don’t want to choose your bride, which is why I am giving you such a large selection of women. We have everyone from princesses to the more powerful clan daughters.”
Almost every country has a vampire royal family who rules over the clans of the country. England has some of the most powerful clans, meaning every man wants their daughter to marry into it to create a powerful alliance.
Not that there was ever much fighting between the kingdoms. The vampire elders agreed long ago that vampire kings will reign no longer than two hundred years, then they most hand down to a male heir. But many pass it down before their time is up. The rule was made so the kings wouldn’t go mad with power like some had.
“You can choose anyone, even family.” Kohl’s eyes widen for a second, but then he hid it.
Did he know? He asked himself.
His father on the other hand was now pretty sure he wanted his younger cousin.
Kohl didn’t have to be told anything else. He grinned like an excited teen and went to the door.
“What we waiting for? Let’s go.”
His father laughed at his enthusiasm and closed doors beside him, they exited the room with masks of seriousness.
All three of his children took after him, having his unique violet eyes and their mother’s raven hair.
With that combination and their natural beauty, they were the envy and lust of all.
To the Humans who occasionally saw them, James and Kohl - his only son - looked more like brothers. Despite James having light brown hair, they both were almost the same body type and height - six-foot-four-inches and a muscular physique. All born vampires are naturally tall and lean, they have a grown spurt when they become a full vampire.
Up until then they can eat human food, feed on blood and grow naturally, but after the change they only drink blood.
“Introducing King James Abello and his son, Prince Kohl Abello,” The announcing servant called out as they entered the grand hall.
“Try and be social for an hour before you disappear,” His father told his son low enough for only him to hear.
“Alright, father.” He didn’t really want too but agreed knowing he would have his true love laying in his arms by the end of the night.
Much too many women’s annoyances, he merely passed them, saying hello as he did. His father on the other hand chuckled to himself watching Kohl walked straight over to the large group where his two sisters and cousins were located. He gave them each a hug, before turning and glaring at a group of unwed male vampires who were hanging around the girls.
“Can you imagine what he will be like when it’s his sisters and cousins time to choose?” James’s beautiful raven haired, emerald-eyed wife, Kara said stopping beside him.
“I cannot.” He moved his arm around his wife’s waist and drew her closer to his side. “But it is good that he is so protective of them. He will be a good king and a great father one day.”
**
“Do you know who you are going to choose?” Stuart asked Kohl.
“That would be telling, dear cousin,” He answered smirking knowing women were listening in.
“Of course he knows,” Stanley said knowingly. Kohl’s best friend since birth as there was only three years between them in age.
“Not that he would tell us,” He smirked at his friend.
“It is only a day and you will find out,” Kohl said still with his cousins and sisters.
His cousins - Elizabeth, twenty-one, Anika, forty-three, and both single.
Stuart is sixty-five but married to a woman called Jane, she is forty and daughter of his one of Frances clan leaders.
His sisters - Margaret, twenty-seven, Dahlia, sixteen and both single too.
“Who do you think I should choose?” He asked Dahlia who he had stood between him and Stuart.
Being only sixteen, she was not only one of the youngest there, but also one of the only virgins. Vampires are very sexual creatures so mostly lose their virginity before meeting their life partner. This made her extremely desirable to every other man in there.
Kohl was extremely protective of her though and Margaret. But Margaret had lost hers a long time ago and right now was stood making goo-goo eyes at Stanley and he, at her.
“I don’t see why you have to get married,” Dahlia complained.
“Don’t worry, Dahlia, I’m sure whomever he chooses won’t mind him spending time with his sisters,” Anika told her sending Kohl a flirty smile.
Kohl ignored it. He was used to both his female cousins flirting with him and Anika even tried stripping off and getting into bed with him once, but nothing happened.
“Exactly,” Kohl said smiling and kissing the side of her head. “I would never choose a bride who didn’t like me spending time with any of my girls.”
“Anyway, I have to be social before I go,” He said remembering his father’s words.
“Make sure you keep the girls safe while I’m gone,” He told Stuart and Stanley. But in all honesty he was only really worried about one.
**
After speaking to what seemed like an endless amount of women, all who openly wanted him to choose them.
There was one girl, one of his father’s clan leaders daughters. He had sex with her several times almost two decades ago, but she still seemed to think she was a sure in.
“If you’ll excuse me.” He made his excuses and walked back to his group. “Dahlia, it’s getting early. You should go to bed,” He told her when he reached her.
“Kohl, it is still dark. Let her be,” Margaret tried to argue for her younger sister.
“You should go too and if you touch my sister once more Stanley I expect to find her joined,” He knew they had been sexually involved for years. He was also sure his sister hadn't been involved with no one else but his friend.
“Would your father accept that?” Stanley asked obviously wanting to take her as his bride.
“Yes. Our Father wants us happy. Even if that means breaking a promise,” He repeated what he was told.
“Really?” Elizabeth asked excitedly. “So you could make me your bride?”
Kohl almost choked on his own spit. “I could...” But didn’t sound like he wanted too.
They all were confused by what he said and started speaking amongst themselves.
With the others sufficiently distracted, he moved one of the girls away from the group and whispered loud enough for only her to hear. “Go to my room, I need to speak to you about my bride.”
She excused herself and left, saying she was going to bed. But no one seemed to notice.
“Alright. I am going to bed too,” He announced only minutes later.
“But your bride...?” Margaret asked her brother knowing her father’s plan.
“She is already aware of who she is and will meet me there.” Elizabeth’s eyes widen.
“I’m sorry, Elizabeth. It isn’t you. I love you, but only as a sister,” He told her honestly. She seemed disappointed but accepted it gracefully.
“Can you at least give me a hint who she is then?” She asked.
“It’s someone you have spoken to this evening.”
She rolled her eyes. “I have spoken to half of women in the room.”
“Go to bed soon, Margaret. You know how moody you get when you go to bed too late.” He said his good mornings and left the hall heading towards his bedroom. But not before making sure he had a few guards set outside his bedroom. He knew if they weren’t, women would be calling on him at all hours thinking they were his bride. He saw earlier, many were listening to his conversation before he left.
“Remember, no one is to be let in. I already have my bride,” He told them once more.
“Yes, sir,” The men he had worked for his father as palace guards his whole life replied in sync.
Opening his bedroom door just enough for him to enter but not for his guards to see, he slid inside and closed the door behind him.
He smiled when their eyes met. She was sat on his bed in her white cotton nightgown like she did most nights.
His parents were used to finding them snuggled up in bed in the morning. But they were never angry, knowing nothing ever happened. Since she was old enough to walk she would climb out of her own bed and sneak into his room and bed.
He didn’t mind though, he enjoyed her small heated body against his.
Kohl felt a strange connection with her since the moment she was born, enough so that he didn’t feel the need to have casual sex anymore. But It wasn’t until she reached her teens he started too recognize his feelings as being more than what they should.
Despite their closeness he never touched her, mainly for three reasons - she was promised to another, she was too young, not yet changed and she was family. But after speaking to his father his mind was set.
She was going to be his bride.
“Not that I am not happy to be here because I am. I’m sure your bride will not allow this after tonight.” He walked over to the bed as she spoke and removed his jacket, waistcoat, and cravat, but kept his shirt on. She seemed unaffected as he had done this many times and normally slept in a set of cotton pyjamas.
“But where is your bride? You said you wished to speak to me about her? Should you not be spending tonight with her? At least that is what mother told me earlier this evening when she warned me not to enter your room tonight,” She asked worriedly.
“What would you say if not only will you be able to sleep with me every night, but also will not have to join with Miles ever? What would you think? How would you feel?” He asked sitting on the edge of the bed beside her and kicking off his shoes.
Her eyes shone with hope, “Truly?” She edged towards him on her knees and took one of his hands in both of hers.
“I do not wish to marry him. I want to stay with you. Please, Kohl?” She begged.
He knew she didn’t like Miles. He is a notorious womanizer, Prince of the Netherlands and at one-hundred and twenty-nine-years-old he was much older than most unwed princes looking for a bride.
But her father had agreed on the joining, promising her to him still a virgin, thinking that the man would calm down when married. After all, he had the choice of many women, but she was the only one who seemed to interest him for more than sexual needs. Miles had surprised her father only months earlier by approaching him and asking for the joining. This surprised no one more than his own parents, who had given up on him ever marrying.
Keeping his expression soft, he laid her on her back. “I don’t want you to marry anyone. Why can’t you just stay with me?” Tears started to fill her eyes.
“I love you, Dahlia. Don’t worry, you are not marrying him.”
“I love you too, big brother. I hope that is true,” She still sounded worried but looked at him lovingly.
“I don’t think you understand, Dahlia,” He moved between her legs and his body hovered above hers.
She looked over his body cautiously and her eyes widened when she noticed his trousers were now unbuttoned and she could see the head of his member peeking out. “I am in love with you.” Her eyes snapped up to his face and saw nothing but love in his eyes as he looked at her. “I am going to make you my wife.”
*******
