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Fox inspected me like a hunter would his prey as I walked past him and it made my emotions boil inside me. “Princess,” Fox said mechanically as he bowed his head at me.

I walked past him, giving as little acknowledgement as I could and let my true feelings fly free from me. I was secretly hoping that the ribbon of emotion, which so delicately caressed Dmitry, would slap Fox square on his smug and proper face. A small giggle escaped me at the thought, which was immediately followed by Nicolae’s office door being slammed shut behind me.

I made my way down the hallway, amusing myself with a mental picture of Fox being slapped as I finished the blood in my goblet. The last drops of the warm liquid dripped onto my lip and I licked them greedily.

As I looked ahead, my eyes locked onto a set of menacing dark pools that looked both enraged and surprised. Luka was standing in the center of the hallway, clearly frozen mid-step at the shock of my presence. For a fleeting moment, I thought to say something to him. The need to plead my case and win his favor, so that I could bring some semblance of peace to the palace crossed my mind, but I bit my tongue. Now was not the time for such things. Judging by the pulsing muscle at his jaw and the way his lip was quivering as he held back a snarl, I knew anything I said would fall on deaf ears.

Instead, I placed the empty goblet on a nearby table and walked straight past him with my head held high. I could feel his eyes slashing at me as I approached, but I dared not look at him. I used every ounce of self-control to look every bit a royal princess as I could. 

Luka stood still, like an immobilized colossus, only his eyes following my movement past him. It wasn’t until I made it to the end of the hallway, a good twenty feet away, that I heard the sound of him running at full speed in the opposite direction. The tension in the air immediately fizzled away; and as I walked back to my room, I couldn’t help but feel proud of how I handled the situation. No doubt Luka ran back to Ana to tell her of the event, but I truly did not care.

When I entered my room, I quickly shut the door and latched it, not wanting to be disturbed so I could truly get a full day’s rest. I figured I would need it with the kind of night I thought lay ahead of me.

My hopes for deep, uninterrupted sleep were short-lived. I tossed and turned as nightmares haunted my thoughts.  Images of a massacre at the coronation ball, and blood splattering the beautiful gowns and tuxedos, as vampire attacked vampire. Their blood curdling screams ricocheting off the towering ballroom walls wreaked havoc in my mind.

The room was madness and I trudged through the chaos in search of someone, desperate to find them. I didn’t know who I was looking for until the moment I saw him. Even with the ballroom lit up by thousands of candles, he still remained in shadow, and though I could not see his face, I knew his gaze was fixed on me. My mystery man.

I felt the connection extend and wrap around me like a warm embrace as my desire for him grew, pulling me toward him through the mass of warring, blood-thirsty combatants. I was only an arm’s reach away from him when a vampire came hurtling toward me like a football player and rammed me in the gut.

My body flew backward and I screamed in agony as the link between us broke. I pleaded for him to come for me, but he only held out his hand as the mountain-like vampire dragged me further and further away. As we barreled through the double doors, I bolted awake and fell out of bed with a shriek, sending Louie yowling from the bed.

“Sorry, Louie,” I apologized, knowing he was going to be grumpy the rest of the night. I stuck my tongue out at him when I saw him glaring at me from inside his little cat bed. “I didn’t do it on purpose, you little stinker.”

I looked at the clock and saw that it was seven in the evening. It was going to get dark soon enough and even though I was incredibly tired, I decided not to try and go back to sleep. I didn’t want to risk re-entering the nightmare or starting a new and possibly even worse one. I was obviously much more worried about everything than I even admitted to myself. My subconscious mind, however, wasn’t going to let me hide from it.

Sleepily, I found my way to the shower and turned it on as hot as I could stand it and closed the door, hoping that I could turn the marble bathroom in to some sort of sauna and truly relax myself. The mirrors fogged up quickly as I undressed and stepped into the shower.

The hot water startled me awake as it burned my skin, but it felt good. I closed my eyes and just stood under the torrent as the water fell upon me, hoping it would wash everything away. When I was thoroughly soaked, I found myself sinking to the floor of the shower and just sitting there, holding my knees and crying. The emotions came flooding out as a complete surprise, but I didn’t hold them back as I normally did. I usually held onto the hurt, the fear, and the sorrow until it was bursting at the seams. This was that moment and I let it happen.

“What am I doing?” I wept to myself as my tears mixed with the water that rained down on me. “Some vampire princess I am. Crying in the shower like a baby.”

I untangled my arms from around my legs and looked at my hands. They still looked like my hands. I ran my fingers across my new fangs and was both amazed and horrified by them. The new changes to my body made me feel both powerful and alien to myself at the same time and I wondered if these feelings were normal for a new changeling? Or was it my unique transformation that made it so much more difficult for me?

As the water slowly grew cooler, my internal bottle of depression emptied and I regained my composure. My new life was flying toward me at full speed and I knew the impact of that reality was going to hit me hard. I just hoped that when that time came, I would be as strong as everyone believed I was. I wanted to be.

I quickly washed and opened the shower door to a wonderfully steamy bathroom. Wrapping a plush, white towel around me, I relished the softness of the fabric and walked to the mirror, wiping away the water just enough to reveal my face. Leaning closer, I looked into my eyes as deeply as I could, searching for even the smallest trace of who I once was. Although I couldn’t see it, I could still feel it deep inside me. The young girl who dreamt of making a difference in the world, getting married and buying a house next door to her best friend. I never would have thought that by having one dream come true, it would completely destroy any chance for the others.

“You can do this,” I told myself. I took a long, deep breath as I calmed the last of my nerves and focused on the decision I had to make. Nicolae was proud to have chosen me as his heir; and his new vampire princess.

It took some searching, but I was able to locate a pair of bra and panties that could be worn with my gown and not leave any visible panty lines. I definitely didn’t want to be known as the princess who wore grandma panties to her coronation ball.

The gown slipped on perfectly and was even more gorgeous than it looked the night before. The shimmering, emerald-hued fabric against my pale skin and dark eyes seemed to perfectly complement each other. I gazed at myself in the mirror, still with my hair wrapped up in a towel and smiled, my new fangs barely surprising me. I was the most beautiful (I thought) I had ever been and I felt my body responding to my self-confidence as I stood straighter and taller. I had my chin raised upward instead of its usually downcast position.

A rapid knock on the door startled me and I knew by its quick urgency that it had to be a vampire, since no human could knock that fast. I sped to the door, while lifting up my dress and managed a much more stable stop than I had previously. I grinned at myself as I unlatched the door, only to be nearly trampled by Robin who fluttered in, wearing her elaborate gown. However, her expression did not reflect what I had anticipated. Her face was filled with an anxious nervousness and the ribbon of uneasy emotion flapped around her.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as I shut the door behind her. I retreated back to my closet to finish getting ready.

“The palace is becoming quite a mad house,” Robin said frantically in a loud exhale as she peeked her head out of a bedroom window and then back in.

“Too many hot, young vampire boys for you to handle?” I teased. I didn’t want any stale bad feelings from the night before to potentially ruin what could be the greatest night of my life. I needed the old Robin back and beside me.

“Not quite…” Robin answered. The unfinished sentence lingered in the air as she poked her head out another window.

“What’s wrong?” I asked again, growing more concerned. I tossed the towel that I was attempting to blot my hair dry with and headed toward the window that Robin peered from.

As I drew closer, she quickly shut the blinds and looked at me, “The turnout was just more than expected.”

“Well that’s a good thing. Seriously, you were almost starting to freak me out.  I need you tonight.” I turned my face and stuck out my lip to look as much like a sad puppy as I could, but Robin just looked at me like I was going crazy.  “I’m guessing you’ve never had a dog?”

“No… was that what that was supposed to be?”

“Geez, Robin, and you say I’m bad for not knowing anything about vampires. You were a human not too long ago, ya know; that was an easy one.”

She smiled, waved me off and headed into the bathroom. I could hear her opening the makeup drawer and all the contents rattling from the motion. I sighed inwardly at my fidgety friend and poked my head out the window.

The sight I saw was pretty much what I envisioned. The exterior of the palace was illuminated as limousines pulled up, one-by-one toward the palace.  I could tell it was going to be a long process when my eyes scanned the long row of vehicles, each of their occupants exiting languidly.

I craned my head a little further and saw a camera crew taping the vampires as they got out, obviously broadcasting the monumental event for the entire region to watch. My heart thumped as I thought of my mom watching me walk into the ballroom, to be formally announced by Nicolae as the Vampire Princess and heir over of region. 

Then I thought of Liz and wondered if she would be watching, and would she be upset or happy for me? Would she or my old mom even recognize me now? Tonight, I would say goodbye to former Claire forever. After tonight, I would forever be Claire Noire, Vampire Royal Princess.

“What the heck are you doing? They will see you?” Robin yanked me away from the window as she grasped my shoulder with a death grip. As I flew backward a few steps, I could feel a fire of rage, which surprisingly grew, and anger I had never known. Upon seeing Robin’s face, however, I quickly relaxed.  Still feeling a little surprised by my body’s spontaneous reaction, I decided she must have caught me off guard and I reacted by instinctive reflex.

“Who will see me?” I said, my tone a little annoyed as I headed back to the bathroom with Robin. I began to blow-dry my wild, auburn hair.

“You didn’t see them?” she asked me as she looked up at me from under a mascara brush.

“All the vampire dignitaries? I couldn’t really see them unless you mean the endless line of limos and fancy sports cars.”

“Not them, Claire, the protestors. There are dozens of them picketing outside the palace. They are chanting, “The charmed cannot choose” over and over again.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“When the news about tonight’s events was announced, not everyone was happy about it. The High Council offered a statement that a human girl was chosen to join the royal family and she accepted. It was also announced that her union with our family creates a deeper bond with our peoples, both human and vampire. You’ve seen the activists protesting outside the blood banks, claiming that humans are equivalent to cattle, and survive only to meet the royal family’s insatiable appetite.”

A small growl rumbled through Robin as she held the bracelet I let her borrow around her wrist. I watched her steadily balance the clasp on her wrist, pulling the latch up to lock it. I fixated on the thin pale skin and the small faint veins that lay beneath it as I considered what Robin was saying. 

“I can’t say that I am surprised, but it feels very different to be on the receiving end of it, as opposed to just seeing it on the television.”

“Sadly, you are going to have to get used to it. The times are a-changing, as they say.” She twirled around in her gown and glanced at me as I struggled with my hair. “Let me help you. If you keep tugging it like that, you’re liable to end up with one of those old-school, beehive hairdos.”

“Thanks,” I said as I released my violent hold on the hairbrush I was trying to rip through the knotted mess of hair on my head. Robin burst into hysterical laughter when she found it hopelessly stuck in my hair, wrapped up like a fork tangled in spaghetti. It was good to hear her laugh again. “Don’t worry about those protestors. There will always be someone that won’t be happy, but hopefully tonight, when they see that I am happy, perhaps it will change a few minds.”

I looked at her and smiled encouragingly as she smiled back, quickly trying to tame my hair. Before I knew it, she had it in an elegant updo with a few long ringlets cascading down my back and around my face. With my jewelry in place and makeup applied, I couldn’t help, but let my jaw drop. I almost looked like one of the vampire queens of the past, whom I’d had seen in a tapestry hanging in the palace. I touched my face as I stared at my reflection. I could barely believe it was really me.

“Wow Claire, you look beautiful. Tonight is going to be amazing and Dmitry is going drool all over his nice tux!” Robin beamed and I could see that her old spark was completely back. It filled me with renewed courage and joy.

“Thanks. So, when are we going to get this shindig started?” I asked as we made our way into my sitting room. The curtains had been tied back and the moonlight floated into the room softly, brightening it with its soft, white beams. I could feel my body being drawn outwardly, whether toward the goddess of the night, or to my mysterious shadow man, whom I secretly longed for.

“Shouldn’t be too long now, they will come and get you when it’s time, but I should probably get going. I want to see you as you walk down the stairs. It’s going to be so magical.” Robin smiled and gazed at me for a moment as ribbons of happiness tickled me.

A twinge of sadness hit me though as I saw her heading for the door, leaving me alone to wait in my room for the biggest night of my life to happen suddenly felt overwhelming. “Do you really have to go? Can’t you stay and wait with me?” I know I sounded like a whining child, but I knew what would happen if I was left alone. I would travel into my thoughts where all sorts of crazy imaginings could happen, potentially making me more nervous and I didn’t want to jinx myself.

“If you would like for me to stay with you, Princess, I will stay,” Robin said with a small curtsey. Her face didn’t try to hide the pride and happiness she felt.

“You’ve never called me that before. What’s with the formality?”

“Well… you are the princess now, and well, I am just honored that you want me here with you,” she said as she attempted to sit down gracefully on the small sofa, her large skirt nearly covering the entirety of it. I couldn’t help but smirk at her as I too, attempted to sit smoothly without causing unsightly wrinkles to be creased into the silk fabric of my emerald dress.

“Are you going to ask Dmitry to dance? Or are you going to wait and see if he asks you?” Robin asked eagerly.

“I am a princess now, so of course, I will wait for him to ask me,” I said jokingly, in possibly the worst aristocratic impersonation ever.

“Ooh, good move, Princess! Make him work for it,” she winked at me and we both giggled until we were abruptly halted at my room’s entrance.

Mara, Robin’s mom, looked grand as she came in with a calm expression.  She wore a long, red velvet dress and her hair was styled in a bun. It was an old, but classic, style and I thought to myself how statuesque she appeared.  Robin popped up from her seat at the sight of her mother and flitted over like a hummingbird, twirling around in her dress so that Mara could get a good look.  “You look lovely, child,” Mara’s face smiled with warmth and she kissed Robin on her forehead, but her eyes were fastened on me, “as do you, Princess.  That dress was an excellent choice. You will make quite an impression tonight. Are you ready?”

I blushed slightly at her compliment and took a deep breath, “I think so…I mean, yes, I am ready.”

Mara moved so gracefully toward me, it was if she were floating. She clasped my hand between both of hers and she looked me deep into my eyes, “Just tell your emotions to relax. Tonight is a celebration for you, enjoy it.” She smiled at me then, revealing her perfect fangs, which I no longer found menacing in any way. In fact, I was starting to think I preferred vampire smiles to human smiles; there was just something so dangerously beautiful about them that I couldn’t help but love.

“Okay, let’s get going. The king will be making the announcement soon and we need to be certain that we are all in our places. Follow me,” Mara said. She sounded very much like she did the night of my transformation, with her voice taking on a mechanical tone.

I followed behind Mara as she speedily glided through the hallways. Although, I did my best to keep up, I was cautious not to go too fast and risk tearing my dress. Robin kept pace with me, holding up her dress in overfilled handfuls as we marched steadily through the hallways to the second level entrance of the ballroom.

Mara led us to a small staging room that connected to the grand staircase, which led into the crowd of vampires that awaited me. “This is it.  Robin and I must leave you here and join the crowd while the king makes his announcement. When he does, that will be your cue to make your entrance. Do your best to evoke confidence and pride. There are many old vampires who have been eagerly awaiting your arrival and they will be able to sense any hesitation. We don’t want to give them the wrong impression.”

“Yes, Mara, I understand,” I smiled in reassurance. My confidence was building with the ebullience I felt for this night and my resolve overruled any residual fear. I can do this; I know I can.

“You are going to do just fine, Claire. I will be there in the front row,” Robin said as she smiled and embraced me fiercely. The she took her mom’s hand and rushed out of the room.

As the door shut behind them, I walked toward it and could clearly hear the crowd’s voices from the ballroom being carried up to me. The tones and inflections were excited and jubilant, creating even more eagerness for me to make my debut. They had all come to see me, the new Vampire Royal Princess.  The title still blew my mind, but now in a good way.

The sudden boom of Nicolae’s voice over the crowd nearly startled me as he commanded them to silence. I drew closer to the door and placed my head against it to listen to his announcement.