Felicity ran back to the main square, her heart pounding in her chest with a combination of excitement and trepidation. The bell still pealed with a deep, chest thudding, heart pumping timbre that resonated in the centre of her being as doors opened and footsteps approached. She stopped in the middle of the square and looked around.

People filled the square, all of them looking uncertain and ill at ease. Streetlamps had been lit, casting an orange glow over the cobblestones. Somewhere a door banged, and a woman called out to a child.

With a rush of wind, a group of young male vampires descended. Dressed in embroidered waistcoats and flowing white shirts, they exuded dark elegance. One of the young female vampires giggled and the others tossed their hair and slid sultry, sideways glances at the young men.

One of them walked towards her and she had to grudgingly admit he was a striking figure, tall, his blond hair tied back in a ponytail and features that looked cut from marble —pure and cold.

"Greetings, Gerhardt," Felicity sighed under her breath. Her brother always seemed to push boundaries.

He gave her an unpleasant smile. There was something about his manner that made her fists itch.

Despite his charm and imposing figure, she knew his true nature all too well. He tended to provoke and torment others, especially her. She could only hope that he wouldn't cause trouble tonight.

The older vampires arrived; Felicity's parents, the Count and Countess von der Höhen, among them.

He looked away; there was a strange set to his beautiful mouth tonight. A determination –

Oh, please don't pick another fight with Father.

The Count, an ancient and powerful vampire strode toward them, her mother following in his wake. "Hello, Gerhardt."

"What do you want?" Gerhardt spat.

"I want you to follow me and take your place," the Count replied quietly yet firmly.

Gerhardt's response was flat, almost dismissive. "No," he said defiantly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Her brother's refusal hung in the air like an unspoken challenge. The crowd watched nervously, hoping that Gerhardt wouldn't push things further. Felicity silently pleaded for her brother to see reason but knew better than to intervene—she'd only be met with derision or worse, violence.

The Count regarded his son with silent displeasure before turning away and walking off without another word. He didn't look back, allowing her brother the illusion that he had won this round.

The tension in the square eased, the crowd relieved that no further escalation had occurred. But Felicity knew that this was just a temporary respite. Gerhardt's reckless behavior would undoubtedly lead them down a dangerous path if he didn't find sense soon.

With a smug grin, Gerhardt glanced at Felicity before disappearing into the shadows like a predator on the prowl. She shook her head in disbelief, he was wrecking their family name and their bond.

She sighed and followed her father, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders.

The townspeople had caught the tension between the two vampires and there was a flurry of coughing, and shuffling, their heat auras flickering in the night breeze. The sharp tang of fear drenched sweat filled the air.

The bell stopped.

The townspeople formed lines, preparing for the Covenant ritual and Felicity pushed her way to the front to support Anna. It was her first time since her twelfth birthday that Anna had been eligible to participate in the Covenant and Felicity wanted to make it as easy for the child as possible. As Felicity jostled into position, the young girl's fear was palpable, radiating off her in waves.

As the night breeze whispered through the streets, Felicity stamped her feet uneasily. The scent of wood smoke mingled with the moisture that presaged an impending storm. A feral dog scavenged in the garbage, its movements mirroring the unease that coursed through Felicity's veins.

Attempting to calm herself, Felicity reassured her racing thoughts. "It's only a few drops of blood," she whispered to herself. "We never take more than we need, and we don't kill. It's all so civilized now. Anna will be fine in the morning."

So why was her hair rising on the back of her neck?

She tried to convince herself that everything was going to be okay. But her explanations were of little comfort in the face of the vampires who surrounded them and the fear that clung to the air like a thick fog.

No matter how hard she tried to push away her foreboding, it lingered in the back of her mind and refused to leave. Something seemed off, and she just couldn't put her finger on it.

"I don't see why," Gerhardt's voice lashed through the air. He glared at the Count.

Felicity shivered as the chill night air nipped at her cheeks. Her senses were on full alert as Gerhardt and their father faced off. Fear curled in her gut, but she pushed it back down and took a step forward, determined to stand between them if necessary.

"Gerhardt, control yourself! What's gotten into you? I am the head of this family, of the clan." The Count snapped.

"You don't expect that to last forever? Do you?" Her brother's eyes blazed with anger.

The Count looked amazed. "Yes ... of course."

Then Gerhardt's fists bunched as he spoke. "And you expect me to play second fiddle to you forever?" His voice was low and menacing.

"What do you think you are doing here?" The Count spoke with barely controlled anger.

Gerhardt didn't back down though, instead he strutted forward until he and the Count were almost nose to nose. "The time will come, old man, for you to step down."

"And you know all about that do you? You—barely two hundred and you think it's time for me to step down in your favour?" Her father's eyebrows drew together ominously.

Felicity's heart pounded as the tension between her brother and the Count reached its boiling point. The crowd around them held their breath.

Suddenly, Gerhardt clutched his throat, his eyes bulging in disbelief. Felicity watched in horror as her brother crumpled to the cobblestones, clawing desperately at his airway.

The Count stepped back, a faint hum of satisfaction emanating from him, like electricity crackling through the air.

"Get up," he said coldly. "And I'll never step down in your favour. I would sooner name Felicity to lead the clan."

Don't do this to me, Felicity silently protested. Her leg muscles tightened and her hands clenched. She knew her brother would stop at nothing, including her extinction, to claim leadership of the clan.

"But she's younger—she's barely one hundred and seventy-six! A kid!" Gerhardt croaked. Rage fueled his recovery, and he sprang to his feet roaring, "She will never steal my birthright." He seemed to realize with a shock where he was and what he had said for he stepped back, muttered "I'll see her in Hell first," and took a place in the line.

A shocked silence had descended on vampires and humans alike at this unseemly display. As the moments passed and everyone realized the show was over, muscles relaxed, and pent-up breaths were exhaled.

Felicity was shaken, but she managed to push the unease Gerhard had caused her out of her mind and focused on the task ahead. To her left she could see a vampire grab the man standing in front of her and turn with mouth open and hair flying. The man's heat aura flared violently. In front of Felicity, Anna whimpered.

Felicity put her hand on the girl's shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. "This won't hurt, honestly. Are you ready?" She wished she could tell the child who she was; that she was her Art Angel, but she didn't know if that would make it better or worse. Would the child feel she had been betrayed? There was a deep pressure, a crackling in the roof of her mouth, and her fangs descended.

"I've decided I want this one," Gerhardt was at her side. He wrenched Anna from Felicity's grasp and violently bore down on her neck. Felicity exclaimed in protest as Anna's eyes rolled back in her head, her face a mask of unmitigated terror. There was a snap no louder than a dry twig and Anna's eyes closed as Gerhardt threw her from him.

Like a marionette whose strings had been cut, she crumpled onto the cobblestones. Her once vivid red life force trembled before fading into darkness.

A heavy silence settled over the square.

"You killed her," Felicity whispered, taking a step back, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Why would you do that? It goes against the Covenant."

"We are vampires, little sister," he hissed angrily. "We take what we desire. We don't concern ourselves with readiness."

"She was mine, Gerhardt." The younger vampire's eyes hardened.

"Yours?" He chuckled. "Your what? Your little pet?"

"My friend," Felicity whispered. "She was my friend."

"Grow some fangs, sis. You're a vampire! Humans aren't friends. They're meat."

"She was my friend," Felicity insisted, her voice growing louder.

"See what I'll do to your so-called friends? I will destroy them, no matter who they are...simply because I can." Gerhardt nudged the fallen girl with his booted foot. "You'll never have what is rightfully mine," he snarled, his face inches from his sister's. "And I will decide what's mine."