The Dark Passage: Queen of the Damned (Book 1)

Chapter One

"Lawrence, just look at them. Aren't they beautiful", Amethyst said gushingly. Lawrence couldn't agree more that their now one year old twins were a sight to behold. They both watched as their daughter, Artemis, chased their son, Apollo, around their play room. Artemis, even at her young age, loved nature and the environment. Lawrence would pick flowers from their garden and place them in the windows of each room he knew Artemis roamed in. Apollo, being the mischievous son that he is, would crawl and stand on any nearby chair and throw them out of the windowsill out of spite of his sister. Artemis grew tired of his delinquency and decided to take matters into her own hands by chasing him around with the handkerchief of their ex nanny. Just like the god he was named after, Apollo fell in love quite easily. Of course at his age it isn't love, but admiration for the care the nanny had for him. Due to a conflict of interest she was let go of her duties by the king and queen. Apollo was broken.

"You would think they wouldn't be as advanced as they are", Amethyst said while still watching the two.

"Have you forgotten we are vampires, my love".

"How can I forget the being that I am?"

"Then you should know at young ages we grow fairly quickly".

"And how would you know that, Lawrence?"

The king wasn't born a vampire, like the queen Amethyst was. He was the son of one of the workers who's job was to feed the prior king and queen, Amethyst's parents. Lawrence watched every day as his father exposed his body to the royal couple and let them feed on him. His father told him that it was an honor to be the one to nurture the king and queen and that one day Lawrence would have to do the same. He watched in fear, knowing one day he'd have to take his father's place. He was destined to die and be food for monsters. That's what they were in Lawrence's young eyes: life sucking monsters. Until he saw Amethyst. Her purple eyes blazed into his as he watched his father take his last breath from lack of blood. It was evident the fear Lawrence had knowing he was next in line. Amethyst didn't support her parents way of survival and she knew there was only one way to break the cycle. Her eighteenth birthday was only a week away and at that time she would take the thrown. She knew she would vow as queen to stop the older feeding traditions, but first she had to save a fearful soul.

As if Lawrence was hypnotized by her, he followed her into a back room. She turned in her ballroom gown to face him and gave him a nervous smile.

"What are we doing in here, your majesty?", Lawrence asked completely confused how he even managed to get away.

"It's one of my gifts. Telepathy, I mean. I went into your mind and called you to follow me".

"Well I did. What is it that I may assist you with?"

Lawrence couldn't break his gaze away from her eyes. He knew how he felt about their kind, but to him she was different. Even if she wanted to feed on him, he'd let her. As long as he can stare into her beautiful eyes.

"I take the thrown soon".

"I am aware, your majesty. You must be thrilled".

"I don't agree with the traditions my parents have set forth for our survival. When I'm queen, I'm going to change it all".

She stepped towards Lawrence and cleared her throat.

"With the death of your father, my parents will begin to feed on you. I cannot stand and let that happen".

"So, what do you suggest?"

"Let me change you".

Lawrence was taken aback. He didn't want to become the one thing he hated. He wouldn't be able to live with himself. However, death was at the end of either path he took. At least with him being a vampire, he can still live while in death.