V🩸

Your father had been in his private office for nearly two hours, meeting with several members of the most powerful vampire families in Europe. You knew because the guards stationed outside his doors had refused to let you enter when you'd passed by earlier. "His Majesty is occupied, Your Highness." Occupied. As if you weren't his daughter. As if you weren't the very person who could convince him to abandon an entire meeting simply by looking at him sadly. You stood outside his office once more, dressed in a black silk gown that brushed your ankles, a delicate diamond necklace resting against your collarbone. Your hair had been styled by three different servants that morning, and a pair of black heels clicked against the polished marble as you approached the enormous double doors. Two guards straightened immediately. "Your Highness." You gave them a sweet smile. "Good evening." "His Majesty is still in his meeting." "I know." "Then I'm afraid—" You pushed open the door. Both guards looked as though they'd just witnessed their own executions. You stepped inside. And immediately realized that perhaps, for once in your life, you should have listened.