• The vampire was violently beautiful. I didn't know how else to describe him. There was no other way to describe him. I've seen many vampires and none have ever come close to his icy perfection. Now I knew the true difference between a Royal and the Ferals. All my other experiences with vampires had given me the impression that these creatures were nothing more than primitive imitations of humans who were more animal than they were human. I wondered what he had been like, when he was human...when warm blood colored his pale face and life flowed throughout his being. I could not. He was too cold...too sharp...too violent...It seemed a pity to kill such a beautiful creature, but here he was sentenced to death...his execution imminent. Soon, this vampire will be marred and killed. There...his long silver hair is crudely shorn off his proud head. His silver eyes glare proudly as the people jeer at him. They are not the red of the Ferals. I froze. His eyes fell on me...a split second...that was all, but it chilled me. I shivered in Execution Hall and glanced down away from that beautiful awful creature. I missed it all then. Maybe it was a good thing...Maybe it wasn't meant for me to see. It was as if I had given some secret signal and the room burst into chaos. All I know is that at that moment, the vampire had freed himself and slaughtered everyone except for me within fifty feet of the platform. I knew the true horror of a Royal vampire then. I was covered in blood and all I could think of was...where did he go? That was the first time I saw him...it would not be my last.