With his beautiful Queen beside him, Nathanial proudly sauntered down the castle corridors toward the main hall. Their clicking heels echoed off the stone hallways as they passed portraits of kings that paved the way for Nathanial. One day artists would paint his likeness to inspire the upcoming generations of monarchs. Nathanial hoped his leadership would encourage future royals in governing their kingdoms. He envisioned that the mere mention of his name resonated with a strong empire of vampires. A legacy his father Virgil would be proud of.

His father Virgil had bestowed the gift of rebirth onto Nathanial when he turned twenty-one in mortal years. Even as a mortal, his blood line was descended from royalty with his biological mother having the title of Countess. Nathanial was born into wealth and privilege, still he remained unsatisfied. He craved to be crowned King, but as a mortal it was near to impossible for him to accomplish. His bloodline although royal was nowhere in the realm of the throne. Nathanial could attempt to woo a princess and marry well, but he could not withstand being ordered about by a spoiled female royal. So, when Nathanial met Virgil twelve years ago, his vampire father offered him a gift and opportunity to see his dreams come to fruition.

Nathanial and Isabella turned the corner and began the final walk down the luxurious main hall. Decadent chandeliers hung from the ceilings, large golden framed portraits of the founding Council members hung on the walls and they walked on plush red carpeting toward the doors to the main hall. Virgil had prepared Nathanial for these moments of leadership. The duo came to stand in front of the heavy ornate doors as well-dressed butlers scurried around them to prepare for the King and Queen’s grand entrance. Nathanial gazed at Isabella as he felt her arm begin to slightly shake from nerves. He stated to her. “Just breathe.”

And the butlers opened the heavy wooden doors as loud trumpets played to announce their arrival. As the doors opened, Nathanial saw the huge crowd of men and women turn their heads towards them. With Isabella tightly clasping onto his arm, he slowly walked into the hall at the top of the grand staircase. Stairs on either side descended down to the ballroom floor, but Nathanial enjoyed pausing at the top to revel in the attention. He must admit he enjoyed the recognition and admiration from the members of the royal court. Nathanial and Isabella began descending the staircase to the hall below.

At the bottom of the staircase, a group of men and women approached Nathanial and Isabella gushing compliments about her dress, her hair and her jewelry. He was very proud to show off his queen to members of the royal court. The deep blue gown and jewels flattered her black hair and ivory skin. Nathanial had chosen his queen very well as her beauty and grace reflected well onto him. Maybe he could push Isabella into showing some of her powers tonight as her true worth lay in her magical strength of controlling the elements. He had searched far and wide for the perfect woman whose appearance and magic could accentuate him as King.

Nathanial took his hand and pulled Isabella’s tightly gripped hand from his arm. The group of men and women surrounded his Queen as they all spoke frantically to her. The raven haired beauty still appeared scared as she smiled and nodded. Besides her appearance and her magic, Nathanial had chosen her because of her timid nature. A confidant woman is less likely to take directions and instructions where Isabella could easily be controlled. He only needed to lose patience with her once over her escape attempt to squash any further acts of rebellion. Isabella was going to indeed make a fine wife for him.

And she had easily fallen into his arrangement this afternoon with her assigned palace guard. Nathanial checked around the room to locate Samuel along the wall gazing at Isabella as if she was a lost puppy. His plan was coming into play of setting up Isabella and Samuel. This way he could satisfy the Council’s decree that every witch must produce an heir within the year and in the meantime he could control his wife. Nathanial scoffed that the Council was foolish to believe they could outsmart him and try to use his wife against him. Then when the warlocks come out of hiding for this competition, Nathanial would pounce and steal the witches from under their noses. Virgil had taught him a vampire could assume a witch’s power by drinking their blood. If he could feed his Dulra army with witches’ blood, he would be able to defeat any enemy be they Vilkros or the mortals.

A curly brunette woman approached Nathanial. He smiled and stated. “Hello Sister.” The pretty oval faced woman came close and kissed him on his cheek. “Hello brother.” She answered and stepped back as her husband, Edward came to stand beside her. “I am shocked, how did you convince your new wife to come to one of these soirees?” He grinned back at her. “Brianna, you know I always have a trick up my sleeve.” The brunette nodded back at him. “You always do brother.” He watched as her husband fumbled with his jacket as he stood beside his wife. Nathanial never cared for Edward as he thought the older vampire was too soft and sentimental.

Poor Brianna, so much potential wasted on her becoming a wife and homemaker. Their father Virgil had turned Brianna first and father was utterly disappointed in her lack of leadership. Father gave her all the knowledge he gave Nathanial, but then she fell in love with a mortal and changed him only to settle down into a boring life. Brianna and Edward were a representation of the modern Dulra, which in Nathanial’s eyes meant they were weak. The vampires reborn today spouted on and on about co-existing with the other supernatural species and even with the mortals. To Nathanial, this spineless thinking had led to the degradation of the vampire blood lines and left them open to hunters looking to cleanse the world of vampires.

A heavy man donned in a black suit rushed towards Nathanial and his sister. The robust man stood in front of them slightly out of breath as he attempted to speak. “Sir, a favour sir.” The man huffed as the platinum blonde vampire scrutinized him as he listened. “Sir, could you convince your Queen to present a showcase of her magical abilities?’ The robust man pointed towards Isabella, still surrounded by admirers with a nervous smile on her face. Nathanial pondered the request and decided a presentation of her powers would benefit him. He tilted his head towards Brianna. “Excuse me, sister.” She nodded her approval as Nathanial took leave of his company making his way to Isabella’s side. The black haired queen shot him a worried look as her companions began chatting away to Nathanial. He raised a hand to silence their questions and gazed at Isabella. “My dear, are you able to give these good people a demonstration?”

She answered him. “Um…Nathanial…I am not sure.” Nathanial glared at the black haired woman as her performance or lack thereof was a reflection of him. She got the message when she stated. “Yes, of course I can.” His expression relaxed as he turned to the members of court that surrounded them. “Do you hear that? She changed her mind. Go ahead dear.” Holding his hands in front of him, Nathanial patiently waited as Isabella bit her bottom lip. She wrung her hands together as he could tell she was developing a plan. She exclaimed out loud. “I hope this works.”

Isabella made a motion with her hand and Nathanial felt a rush of wind that blew out all the candles in the ballroom. Loud gasps were heard by the crowd as the main hall fell into darkness. Then each candle within the hall began to glow with a white light as the candles lifted out of their holders and into the air. Nathanial was amazed at the sight of a hundred glowing white candles hovering in the ballroom. It resembled glowing stars in the backdrop of a black night. Audible oohs emanated from the crowd as the white lights changed colors to a red, then a blue and then a mix of white, red and blue lights. The intensity of the light began to increase as each different colored flame began to brightly shine.

Members of the royal court began to clap as Nathanial gazed at Isabella. She appeared similar to a musical conductor with her hands held out in front of her as she slightly moved her fingers to change the colors of the flames. Isabella moved her hands lower as the candle flames changed back to normal and descended in the air back into their holders. The room was lit up as before her presentation as members in the ballroom turned to Isabella and began clapping in unison. Nathanial saw a red blush spread on her cheeks, as she nodded at the royal members of court who clapped for her. She nervously wrung her hands together and brought them close to her body.

Nathanial regarded the audience of the main hall proud her presentation won over the members of the royal court. A normal witch could barely light more than a couple candles at a time. And that did not include being able to alter the color of the flame. Nathanial purposely chose a wife with strong magical elements. Something he already knew by her sacrificial gifts of bloodletting. Nathanial absorbed some of her powers when he drank her blood. With her by his side, Nathanial could not be defeated.