First city slept like a weary traveler in the night. Ezra lounged on the couch, a smile playing on his lips as the TV flickered in front of him. Life's good.
The comfort of the penthouse was a welco contrast to the chaos and danger of the past day.
He glanced over as the door clicked open and Olivia walked in, wearing a turtleneck sweater under a long coat. She looked elegant and composed, her presence adding a sense of calm to the room.
"Hey, Olivia," he greeted her warmly. "Welco ho."
"Hey," Olivia responded, her eyes scanning the room. "Where's Gen?"
From her bedroom, Gen's voice floated out. "I'm in here!" A mont later, she ca out, wrapped in a towel, her hair damp from a recent shower.
Olivia raised an eyebrow as she took in the scene with a hint of amusent before her expression turned serious. "We need to do two things tonight. First, we need to get Ezra's things from his old place. His necessary docunts and IDs. Even if he's now a vampire, he's still Ezra Matten. It isn't as easy to go off the grid as it was in the ti of the progenitor."
"And the second?" Ezra asked.
"Second, we have to go shopping."
"Yayyyy." Gen cheered. "I love spending other people's money!"
"It's not my money. It's what Count Griffin gave us to get settled in."
Ezra looked down at his tracksuit, the sa one he'd been wearing since he was turned. "I suppose you're right. I haven't exactly had ti for wardrobe changes in between fighting for my life."
Gen, now leaning against the doorfra, smirked. "You two go ahead to Ezra's old apartnt. I'll et you at the shopping center."
Ezra and Olivia exchanged glances and then nodded. They left the penthouse, making their way down to the underground parking lot where Olivia's recovered car was waiting. The drive to Ezra's old apartnt was quiet, the streets bathed in the soft glow of streetlights and the occasional passing hover car.
As they drove, Olivia glanced over at Ezra. "Now that we have a mont of calm. Let's begin your training."
"Huh?"
"With you as a new vampire and as your turner, it's my responsibility to educate you on vampire laws, etiquette, and survival skills."
Ezra nodded, understanding the gravity of her words. "I appreciate it. I can already tell that there's a lot I need to learn." I'd look like an idiot every ti soone talked about sothing I don't know.
Olivia smiled, her expression softening slightly. "As we'll be mingling with humans, we'll start with sothing simple." She focused ahead, and Ezra watched in fascination as her eyes shifted from their usual vampire red to a deep, human blue. Ezra could feel a layer of vitality coating her eyes.
"This is the glamour. Changing the color of our eyes to blend in is one of the basic skills a vampire needs to have. Every other thing can be explained away except the eyes. It is also the most important vampire skill as it helps us keep to the Law of Secrecy."
The Law of Secrecy. Absolute secrecy about vampires must be maintained on the pain of death.
Ezra watched her eyes. Except for the vitality he could feel on it, he wouldn't have been able to tell that it was a glamour. "That's impressive," he admitted, a new appreciation for the complexities of vampire existence forming in his mind.
Olivia turned to Ezra, her expression serious. "All vampires can change their appearance at will because they get the chaleon tattoo as their first vampire tattoo."
Ezra rembered the beautiful color changing chaleon tattoo he saw on Gen's torso. "What does the tattoo do?"
"The chaleon tattoo has the ability to manifest physical colors into reality. These colors can be used to conceal or contain. It is the chaleon tattoo that all vampires use to create their black zones."
Ezra raised an eyebrow. "But I didn't get that tattoo, did I?"
Olivia shook her head. "No, you got the progenitor dragon tattoo instead. It's a powerful relic, but it doesn't allow you to disguise yourself. For now, you'll need these." She handed him a pair of sunglasses.
Ezra took the sunglasses, examining them for a mont before putting them on. He was surprised to find that he could still see clearly, as if the sunglasses were simply a thin veil that barely affected his vision. It was as if night and darkness held no power over his enhanced sight.
"Impressive," he murmured, looking out the window at the passing cityscape. "So, what do I need to do to add more tattoos?"
Olivia's lips curled into a wry smile. "You're trying to learn without a solid foundation, Ezra. I won't answer that question just yet. You need to understand the basics first."
Ezra nodded. "Fair enough. What's my first lesson?"
"Vampire hierarchy," Olivia began, her tone becoming more instructional. "It's crucial to understand where you fit into our society."
She continued, "At the bottom of the hierarchy are the Subjects. These are the common vampires who haven't been fully accepted into a coven or any higher structure. All vampires start as a subject. Subjects can co together to create a coven. They must be registered under a count."
"Then co the Covens," she said, glancing at him. "Covens are ford around a male vampire, like you. They're small groups that share power and resources. That's what we've established with you."
Ezra nodded, following along. "And above covens?"
"Counts," Olivia replied. "Counts oversee multiple covens within a specific territory. They act as local governors, maintaining order and handling disputes within their territories. Count Griffin, whom you've t, is an example."
"Above Counts are the City Lords," she continued. "They control entire cities and the surrounding regions. They're incredibly powerful and influential, managing all the vampires and resources in their cities."
"Elders are next," she said, her tone growing more respectful. "The elders are the five vampires who seat on the council. They rarely involve themselves in daily affairs but are highly respected and are responsible for all decisions that affect vampire society."
"Then, we have the nobles." Olivia paused. "Nobility is not an officially recognized social class in vampire society but it exists. Nobles are vampires who own a legacy from the vampire progenitor."
Ezra absorbed the information. "When you say legacy, you an...?"
"A relic. Any relic created by the progenitor."
Ezra was silent. "That ans...." He trailed off, unable to complete the thought.
"Yes." Olivia gave a single nod. "You're a noble. You're now Prince Ezra."
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