Upon arriving home, Vikra was greeted by his beloved wife, Isabell, who was discussing with some of her friends. However, he walked into his bedroom without saying a word to either his wife or acknowledging the greetings of the guards and maids.
Isabell noticed the distress on his face and quickly excused herself from her friends, following her husband to the room. Inside, she saw the maids trying to help him remove his clothes.
"Everyone, leave!" she commanded.
The guards and maids promptly exited the room, leaving Vikra and Isabell alone. She approached him slowly, finding him standing in front of a mirror, lost in thought. She gently placed her hands on his chest, trying to comfort him.
"How did the meeting with the king go?" Isabell asked in a soft, concerned tone, but Vikra couldn't find his voice just yet. He was filled with rage, and he pushed her hands away before stepping away from her.
"My lord, you know I don't like to see you like this. Tell me what troubles you?" she asked with even more worry in her voice.
"Your sister..."
"I forbid you to call her my sister. She is my half-sister, and we share nothing in common," Isabell said, taking off her dress.
"She wants her daughter to get married and become the next ruler of the vampire order."
"What has gotten into her? What about Raul? I don't think anyone else is fit to be a leader other than my husband. I am fully ready to become Queen; I can't wait to stand by your side as a ruler. You are the kingmaker, and you should think about making yourself a king sooner or later," she said, displaying her figure, hoping to distract him from his worries.
Isabell then walked into the bathtub and invited her husband in for a bath. She had always harbored resentment toward her sister, Thana, for being the first child and most favored among their parents.
"I hate her with everything in me."
"I know you do, but she is the queen, and with the support of her husband, the King, she will make her daughter Nimoes the Queen, and you her subject," Vikra said, standing up from the bathtub and wrapping himself with a dark wolfskin cloak.
Vikra appeared a little confused; he had always dreamt of becoming a ruler, taking over every territory, and using humans as food for vampires. "I need to come up with a quick plan," he thought.
He walked out of the room and straight to the garden where his soldiers were gathered discussing.
Once Elvis saw him, he quickly alerted the rest of the regiment. "Elvis! Take two of your men and ride quickly to Lord Amelia's castle, Lord Morana, Lord Lazarus, Lord Blade, and Lord Drake. Tell them it's an urgent call."
"And for the rest of you, get ready! There is a battle before us," Vikra commanded.
After giving the orders, Vikra returned to his bedroom, where Isabell was sitting with a knife, cutting fruits.
"Your meal is ready, my Lord."
"I don't want to eat that," Vikra mumbled.
Isabell clapped her hands, and her maids walked in with a young girl, probably in her twenties.
"I mean this," Vikra pointed towards the young girl, and the maids quickly left the room, shutting the heavy doors behind them.
Vikra couldn't resist his hunger and rushed to join his wife as they both fed on the fresh blood of the young girl. Once they had drained her dry, she fell dead on the floor.
"Humans taste better," Vikra remarked to his beloved wife as he helped her wipe the stains of blood around her lips.
"What plans do you have, Vi?" Isabell asked, curious about her husband's next move.
He inhaled sharply, "I just sent a message to some of my trusted friends and enemies to the throne. With them on my side, I can protest to be the next leader. If the others refuse, then we will be forced to go to war. With the help of my allies, I can take on any opposing clan. As for the king, I will kill his brother first."
Upon hearing Vikra's plans, his wife, Isabell, became excited. She couldn't help but smile, even though she had doubts about whether the elders would join forces with them. Becoming king seemed like an almost impossible feat. "How can I help? I know you can't do this all by yourself, especially when it comes to getting the elders to join you in protesting while the king's brother is still alive."
"Don't worry, my love. I have plans for Raul. He is no match for me, and I don't want to get you involved in this. I don't want any harm to come to you. I can handle this."
Vikra picked up the body and dragged it out of the room. "Let me dispose of this before my friends get here."
Elvis returned after delivering the messages. In a short while, all the lords arrived at Vikra's castle, and they all sat in his chamber where he usually entertained guests. It took him a little bit of time before he joined them. After sharing pleasantries, he decided to get straight to the point.
He knew he could trust them, and with them on his side, they could easily join forces to defeat any opposing clans. Still, unable to conclude after hours of discussion, he said, "I think we should inform..."
Just before he could finish his statements, he was interrupted by the sound of the door as two of his guards rushed in. "My lord, Lord Raul is..."
"Why am I not invited?" Raul said as he snapped the neck of the guard trying to stop him from entering. They all bowed at his presence, excluding Vikra, who just waved his hands, and the two guards rushed out of the room trembling in fear.
"You don't have to kill him, you know. And I can't remember where it is stated that I have to inform you first before holding a friendly meeting?" Vikra said in a taut tone. Raul walked straight to the table where a jar was kept, he picked up a cup and served himself wine.
"The walls have ears, but we can't sit and watch the vampire order be placed in the hands of a youngster. I came here to ask for your support to join me in my campaign to take back my inheritance," Raul said, taking a sip from his cup and spitting it out. They all watched in silence.
He was later asked to sit down by Drake. He started by convincing them why they should support him, making promises to allow them to make decisions in their various clans. They all agreed to his plan of killing his brother and the queen, afterward Vikra would carry out his own secret plans.
"What about Nimoes and her cursed sister?" Lord Drake mumbled.
"I have it all figured out. All I want is for you to join forces with me as we take back our pride land." After the meeting, they were entertained before going back to their various castles.
A few days after, Vikra, accompanied by Elvis, took a stroll to the training ground where his soldiers were training. "My lord, I advise we feed them with fresh blood."
"Elvis! Elvis!!" He paused, and repeatedly Elvis answered, "My Lord."
"You will only do as I instruct you. When the time comes, make sure you come out with your best plan. I don't trust those dead humans."
Vikra went straight to his chamber to meet with his wife, who was all dressed up. "You look beautiful, my lady," he complimented.
She smirked, as she had not been her best lately. She had been making other plans that didn't include her husband. She hated the fact that everyone thought she was weak and didn't have the same strength as her sister.
"I am going to see a friend, and I won't be coming back," she said.
"I would ask Elvis to come with you, to keep you safe?" Vikra suggested.
"I don't need the guards to watch after me. Don't forget, I'm also the daughter of Dracula and the treasured wife of Vikra the kingmaker. I will be fine all by myself. Perhaps there has never been any news of abductions in our clan."
Isabell took her horse and rode east to the eastern part where Raul's castle is located. On her way, she stopped to greet a few friends before continuing her journey.