There was one thing Gem hated the most in the whole entire universe. 

She could withstand mental and physical torture but there was one thing she could not stand. 

Shopping.

It was a word loved by most women and yet detested by her. She didn't get why such a foul activity was officially classified as a hobby by so many people. She had always avoided shopping by ordering tailored clothes from a dressmaker she had frequented for the past 10 years ever since she became a legitimate adult.

But today, she was being forced to go shopping.

With Kalia Garon.

As Kalia took her arm and dragged her into a shopping centre, Gem wondered why someone hadn't called the police. Here was a vampire who can kill someone just by staring into their eyes. Both Kalia Garon and her had killed people before. They were by definition, classified as murderers.

But out here in the open, with both of them dressed in normal jeans and T-shirts, they look like normal humans. No one would notice Kalia's gold eyes or pale skin because she had worn contacts and well, many people in Alaska were quite pale due to the lack of sunlight.

"So what should we buy?" Kalia asked brightly.

"Up to you," Gem muttered. She wondered for the thousandth time why she was doing this. When the princess first asked her to go shopping with her, she thought that she was joking until she realized she was extremely seriously. 

Don't vampiric princesses have people to help them buy clothes?

"Well, what do you like?"

I like stabbing people when they ask me what I like to shop. Gem thought darkly. "Don't mind me, go ahead and buy what you want." She barely managed a smile.

As Kalia Garon bounded up to a brightly lit shop, Gem followed her, mentally sighing for every step she took. This was pure torture. She would rather be sent to drink poison than do these.

She peered at the dresses around her and frowned. They were disgustingly flashy and there was something about the bright lights of the shop that irked her. It made her want to shrink away into the darkness.

Because that was where she always belonged to. The Darkness.

"Hey, this suits you!" Suddenly, Kalia Garon appeared and thrusted a dress in her face. Gem coughed and carefully look away from the princess' eyes. "It looks great."

Suddenly, Kalia Garon's face appeared in front of her. She grabbed Gem's face and Gem instinctively raised her arm.

"Why won't you look at me in the eyes?" Kalia Garon frowned. "I said, look at me in the eyes."

"I don't want to die," Gem said aggressively and grabbed the arm around her neck. For a small vampire, she was surprisingly strong.  "Now, let go of me."

"Die?" Kalia Garon sounded confused. "What are you taking about?"

"I've heard of you," Gem replied. "Kalia Garon, sister of the Dark Lord, has the ability to kill someone just  by staring at the person in the eyes."

"Oh, so you've heard of me." Kalia Garon smirked, looking surprisingly like Luke Garon with the grin on her face. She loosened her hold and Gem coughed. She caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. There was a red mark on her neck. That vampiric princess was no spoilt royalty. She was a warrior in the making.

"I thought you were too intelligent to believe those rumors," Kalia Garon said.

"Every rumor has a basis," Gem answered. "Don't tell me you can't kill people just by staring into the eyes."

"Of course I can," the princess said cheerily. "Every Garon in the family have displayed some form of exceptional power and process. Mine just happened to be the more lethal kind."

That was an understatement.

"However," she continued. "I can control my power. It doesn't mean that you will die just by looking into my eyes. Only those whom I choose will die because of it."

"Oh really?" Gem looked up and finally looked into Kalia Garon's shiny golden eyes. 

She paused. 1, 2, 3 seconds passed. She was still alive.

"Well, I guess you aren't lying," Gem said dryly with a tinge of relief. 

"Let's do the proper introductions again, shall we? You were too busy looking down during the banquet," Kalia Garon said. She held out her hand. "Hello there, I'm Kalia Garon, just a normal vampire minding my own business."

Gem looked at the extended hand. She couldn't help but smile. She stretched out her hand and shook the princess' hand firmly. "Hello there, I'm Gem Austen."

"Austen?" Kalia raised her eyebrows. "You are the infamous Felix Austen's half-vampire daughter?"

"You've heard of my wretched father?" Gem asked darkly.

"Of course." Kalia waved her hands. "Your father's rebel was the most historical moment in vampiric history. No one who has lived through that era will ever forget it. You must be proud to have such a father."

"Proud?" Gem retorted. "He killed masses of innocents. And you're asking me if I'm proud of his evil deeds?"

"Hang on love." Kalia raised her finger. "We vampires are different from other species in many ways. One of which is this. We appreciate brilliance. Your father was evil, no one can deny that but he was a brilliant vampire. One of the finest, most promising prodigies we had. It was a pity he chose the wrong path."

Gem stared at the princess. With Kalia's youthful look and small stature, sometimes, even Gem forgot that the princess had lived through centuries and was technically, a few hundred years old with wordly experience. 

"That does not excuse his deeds," Gem muttered. "Can we not talk about him?" Her father was one of the many things that had troubled her and she did not like to discuss him with anyone. It was best to just keep the topic and troubles inside her mind so that she can muse about him in solitude.

"Well, up to you," Kalia said lightly. "Let's go." She headed towards the entrance.

"You aren't going to buy anything?" Gem looked around the shop.

"No," Kalia sniffed haughtily. "The quality here is extremely bad. The humans certainly don't know the difference between posh goods and disgusting goods disguised as useless brands."

Gem couldn't help but roll her eyes.