James

It was a mistake. Obviously, joining an older vampire's court could not have been anything but a mistake. Nevertheless, James had seized this so-called opportunity in a local shady pub, one night he was drunk out of his mind. The older vampire in question, Willem, had just enough charisma to seem interesting on such an occasion. And when James had woken up the day after, remembering vaguely he was now a "follower", he had decided to give it a chance, out of boredom, for the sheer thrill of something happening. Anything.

Rationalizing his decision, or more accurately his lack of decision, James had thought at first he could learn from Willem, about his kind. James had always been a loner, but there were hierarchies among vampires and some complex strategic situations in the supernatural world he had no idea existed. Conflicts and alliances, among vampires and with immortals or sorcerers. A few months later, he understood better every day why Isabella had stayed away from her own. A shudder of sorrow got through him as he thought about her. She had never looked for power. She only wanted quiet happiness and not to be alone. She would have been appalled to see James with someone like Willem.

The self-proclaimed vampire lord had asked them to gather around in the court of his luxurious mansion. He had apparently something important he wanted to tell them. James looked at the other vampires around him. He had thought that embracing the community would at least make him feel less lonely. But his experience had been very disappointing, to say the least. Willem had attracted young vampires who only wanted to benefit from his power. The others, he had turned, and they were desperately devoted to him.

James looked back at the time he was alone and wouldn't want to have anything to do with other vampires almost with nostalgia. Until now he hadn't even felt he had made a mistake, though. Rather that he had let himself slide into this situation and had not found the strength to free himself from it.

Willem joined them and gave them a speech. He wanted some of them to follow him to Bristol to confront his archenemy, an even older vampire named Stanislas. When this Stanislas had claimed the territory under his authority, Willem had taken that as an act of war. Apparently, they had been having an ongoing feud for a couple of centuries. They were all about power.

James couldn't help but be curious. He wondered if this Stanislas would be more interesting. And if he were stronger than Willem. After all, you could not win a fight on arrogance alone. So when Willem asked who wanted to come with him, James took a step forward.

But thoughts whirled in his head, like a constant stream, on the road to Bristol. And when they arrived, he had finally made a decision. This masquerade had to end. James did not even recognize his life, or himself. If he despised Willem so much, he had to go. It was as simple as that. Whatever would happen with Stanislas, he would leave. To go where? He didn't know yet. There was a whole world to explore. He could go to the continent. Maybe to Genoa. Anywhere but where he was.