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She frowns at the mention of her formal name. All royal vampires have formal names and presenting names. Formal names are the names given to us at birth. This name is well-known and widely used throughout our community. Our presenting names are the names we use for the world. It’s how we get by living so long. Every few decades, we choose a new presenting name.

“Just in time,” my father says as he enters the room. He stands beside my mother and places a kiss on her cheek. At six foot four, he towers over my mother, who is five foot eight.

My sister is the spitting image of our mother. She has her wide set rounded eyes and babydoll features. She even has the same reddish-brown skin tone. However, I was entirely my father. From the deep set almond-shaped eyes to the almond brown skin, even the narrow shape of my nose was all Khalif’s. The only thing I inherited from Zahra are my light brown eyes.

“Mizani, I’m so glad you could make it.” I cringe at my formal name. “How about we go into my study so we can talk?”

Dipping my chin to my chest, I follow behind my father through the elaborate home.

We make it to father’s study. He opens the door and allows me to walk in first. I immediately spot my oldest brother, Chikae, or Jerome. He was sitting in one of the chairs in front of father’s desk. Kofi or Malik, my younger brother, was sitting on the sofa on the left side of the room.

So this was a family affair.

Chikae nods at me as he takes a sip from his flute. Kofi waves with a snug smile plastered on his face.

“Would you like a drink?” father asks, taking a seat on the edge of his desk. He points to the bar on the left side of the room. “It’s O negative. Your favorite.”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. “Can we please get to the point? My time working for you is done. I told you not to summon me again.”

“What if I summoned you because I miss you?” He laughs and my brothers join him.

I turn to leave.

“Alright. Alright,” Father says, causing me to turn back to him. He looks over at Chikae before turning back to me. “I need the Huntress. My seat is up for grabs again.”

I scoff, shaking my head. “You have to be the worst fucking royal in all of history. I secured that seat for you decades ago. All you had to do was not fuck it up. How did you fumble it that quickly?”

His jaw clenches before he speaks. “The other family kings aren’t happy about the way my region has been running.”

There are fifteen Royal family clans of Vampires. My father, the king of clan Nizam, is the eldest of his six brothers. He inherited the role of king from his father. However, my father’s sometime radical ideals, and his thirst for the luxury power brings but not so much the work that it takes to keep it, have made him many enemies amongst the clans. In the past, I’ve done jobs for other clan families to gain him favors and even took some lives to keep his seat. However, my last time was my last time helping him. I’m done being his weapon.

“The Huntress has retired. I’ve done my last deal for you. Remember, that’s how I got custody of Marley.” My father and I made a deal a few months ago. I took care of a problem and he allowed me to have Marley full time.

Chikae’s chuckle draws my attention toward him. “I have never met a more ungrateful being. Most royals would love the opportunity to serve their family.”

I usually don’t give my big brother the time of day, but I was feeling generous this morning. It’s obvious he wanted my attention.

“Not if their family only wants to use them as a weapon to obtain power.”

Kofi scoffs. “You should thank father for turning you into the warrior that you are.”

Tilting my head to the side, I glare back at my baby brother. It would seem someone has grown balls since the last time I’ve seen him. He’s feeling very emboldened.

“Thanking him?” I ask calmly. “While you two were being coddled and living a life of pampered luxury, I was sent to that prison camp they call an academy where I was beaten and tortured in order to be a weapon for him.” I yank my long sleeves up so that he can see the gold cuffs on my wrist. A reminder of the shit I went through for this family.

“He used me for centuries,” I continue. “Loaning me out to the highest bidder like a fucking sports car until he sold me to a sadist.”

“A sadist you mated.”

Tension fills my body. The gold cuffs on my wrist vibrate. My brother had just touched on the one topic he knew was off limits.

There are many things in my long life that I regret, but nothing as much as the man I thought I loved. A man that I realized too late was a sadistic, narcissistic, psychopathic cult leader.

I take a step toward Chikae.

“What did you just say?”

All the boldness from earlier fades from Chikae’s features as he notices my forward motion. Father quickly steps in my path. His gaze pleading for me not to take another step.