Callista entered the dorm, the stench of blood hanging thick in the air. There, amidst the wreckage of discarded fast food wrappers and overflowing laundry, sat Natalia. Crimson adorned her lips and stained the fingers clutching a half-empty blood bag. 

In her other hand, however, lay the most unexpected weapon in this vampire's arsenal: a book with a cover that screamed of glitter, longing stares, and questionable metaphors about sparkling baseball players.

Disgust contorted Callista's features, but she managed to keep her voice level. "Natalia, please. Take that outside. We don't…feed…in the room." The scent, even of chilled blood, was overwhelming to her senses.

Natalia's playful smile faltered. "Right, sorry," she mumbled, wiping her mouth hastily. "Not everyone appreciates the… aesthetics, I suppose." A mischievous glint flickered back in her eyes. "But hey, curious? Wanna try a sip? Female's blood, rich, bold, tangy... like aged wine, maybe?"

Callista's stomach churned, and the comparison only made it worse. "Absolutely not," she stated flatly. Despite her revulsion, a hint of curiosity peeked through. "Does... blood taste different to you?" 

This was the longest conversation she'd ever had with a vampire. Most encounters she'd endured ended up with a shower to rid herself of their unwelcome ashes.

Natalia's expression shifted from playful to surprised. "It's a matter of preference, honestly," she explained, a friendliness surprising Callista. "Consensual blood, it tastes the best. Fear? Well, that's bitter. Even I can't stomach it."

This revelation sparked a question in Callista's mind. "Is that why vampires frequent certain clubs?" she pressed, sinking onto the bed.

"Maybe," Natalia conceded. "But clubs aren't my scene. Frozen blood, bland as it is, suits me. I prefer quiet dorms and avoid hunting entirely. Seduction?" she wrinkled her nose, a playful glint in her eyes. "Even less appealing. Call me naive, but I believe in everlasting love."

Callista raised an eyebrow. Committed relationships in their world? The vampires she knew were driven by primal hunger and violence. Natalia, however, with her frozen blood and aversion to hunting, defied expectations.

"Speaking of feasts," Natalia continued, "how about joining Princess Athena’s lunch tomorrow? It's a… social event, let's say."

Callista had a strong suspicion what kind of "social event" it might be. Swallowing down her revulsion, she reminded herself that integration and information were essential to her mission. This event might prove more fruitful than she anticipated. 

"Will there be human food?"

Natalia grinned, tossing the empty blood bag nonchalantly into the bin. "Of course! We're not complete monsters, you know. We do eat… regular food. But our need for blood is different. It's…" she hesitated, "like a physical craving, similar to needing your morning coffee, only much stronger."

Callista murmured, "So, like a necessity?"

"Exactly! And denying it can be... dangerous," Natalia said. "Like what happened to Queen Eydis."

Callista's heart lurched. This was the kind of information she needed. "What happened to her?"

Natalia frowned, her eyes flitting nervously around the room. "A decade ago, she vanished without a trace. Found a year later, starved, barely alive."

"Kidnapped? Wasn't she the most powerful vampire?"

Natalia nodded, the worry etched on her face deepening. "No one knows for sure. But ever since, her appetite... it's insatiable. I can control myself, but the Queen..." she trailed off, a tremor running through her voice. "...she won't stop until they're... drained."

Callista's crimson eyes narrowed. "Have you ever... met her?"

Just as Natalia started to speak, a piercing scream ripped through the room. She clutched her head, tears welling up in her eyes. 

Callista shot to her feet, adrenaline surging. "Are you okay?"

"F-Fine," Natalia gasped, her voice shaky. "L-Let's not talk about this anymore, okay? I...don't think the Queen appreciates it."

Understanding dawned on Callista's face. "She can...hear you?"

"Only when she's near.”

A shiver of excitement ran down Callista's spine. This was dangerous, exhilarating even. Indigo was right. The Queen was here. And she, Callista, was about to meet her.

“Oh, wanna check this book out. It’s a delicious read.” Natalia grinned, handing over the love-triangle teenage bible.

Callista grimaced, the book feeling as appealing as a lukewarm blood bag in her hands. She flipped through the pages with a sigh, muttering to herself, "Free night, then. Might as well delve into the depths of... whatever this sparkly monstrosity is."

The air in the chamber thrummed, heavy with the cloying musk of spent desire and the rasping breaths of pain-turned-pleasure. Queen Eydis, a sculpture of pale flesh and moonlight, stilled. Her smile, usually a captivating weapon, had fractured every slightly.

Orion, her lips bruised and swollen, glistening with the Queen’s essence, felt the shift. Her emerald eyes, usually pools of playful seduction, flickered with confusion. 

"Your Majesty?"

Eydis' gaze, cold golden flames in the dimness, remained fixed on some unseen point beyond the chamber walls. "A little songbird, has been singing a tune I'd rather not hear."

"Well, my Queen," Orion purred, "allow me to drown it out in the symphony of our pleasure." 

She leaned in, tongue darting out of her crimson lips, a sweet offering of Eydis's essence clinging to her lips.

Eydis arched into the touch, fingers digging possessively into Orion’s scalp, a mark of dominion rather than affection. But her mind raced. The sudden interest in her pointed towards something more, something dangerous lurking in the shadows.

As the first rays of dawn filtered through the stained glass windows, casting an ethereal glow on the bustling hallway, Callista felt the unwanted attention like a swarm of gnats. Despite masking her scent, she couldn't ignore the weight of countless gazes, particularly from the vampires whose eyes seemed to pierce through her very being.

"Hey there, beautiful. Care to—"

"Not interested!" Callista snapped, pivoting on her heel only to slam into someone surprisingly solid for their slender frame. The collision sent her reeling back, only to be steadied by hands clamping firmly on her hips.

Athena stood close, the brush of her soft golden hair sending a jolt through Callista. Her voice, a silken thread laced with amusement, brushed Callista's ear. "The intriguing new student, Astra, isn't it?"

Callista met the princess's gaze. The woman's golden eyes held an intensity that both captivated and unsettled her. Despite the alluring floral fragrance she wore, the unmistakable metallic tang of blood clung to her—a reminder of what Callista despised: self-serving creatures who reveled in their power.

A beat of silence stretched. The princess, instead of moving away, lingered, her hand tracing a suggestive path down Callista's skirt.

"You can let go now," the hunter hissed with barely concealed hostility.

One perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched in surprise at the animosity. Instead of complying, Athena's grip tightened, sending shivers down Callista's spine. Fingertips brushed tantalisingly underneath, a playful purr escaping Athena's lips. "Quite the fire you have there, human. How… captivating."

Callista's eyes burned with a mix of rage and something else, an unfamiliar spark ignited by the princess's touch. The urge to draw her blade warred with the cold logic of her mission: securing information, not escalating tensions. Control, control, Callista chanted internally. She couldn't afford to dust another lead, no matter how much the stench made her nauseous.

Sensing Callista's distress, Athena retracted her hand, a sly smile curved her lips. "Don't worry, you're not my type."

"I'm worried for you," Callista growled, instantly regretting the outburst. What was it about this vampire that evoked such a strong reaction within her?

“Such animosity is unbecoming, Astra," Athena purred, her golden eyes glinting with a hint of curiosity. "Perhaps you should consider who truly benefits from this little display of temper."

Callista bristled, her lips parting for a retort. But the watchful gazes of the gathered crowd, their initial curiosity morphing into something akin to morbid fascination, forced her to clench her jaw shut. Swallowing her simmering anger, she spun on her heel, her hair swirling like a storm cloud as she started to walk away, her back stiff with suppressed fury.

Before she could fully retreat, Athena's voice, a husky whisper slithered into her ear. "This conversation is surprisingly fascinating. Perhaps we could continue this... dialogue in a more discreet setting?"

Callista's scowl deepened, her icy facade momentarily cracking as a flicker of something akin to intrigue crossed her features. With a sharp exhale, she managed to regain her composure, leaving her response hanging as she continued walking away. 

Athena's smile lingered, a predator carefully assessing its prey, yet a hint of something deeper flickered in her golden eyes, a hint that betrayed the playful facade she presented.

"Horny egoistic elites, indeed," Callista grumbled under her breath. Maybe that pay raise did need a significant bump.

Natalia materialised beside her, barely missing a beat. "You didn't!" Natalia practically tackled her, but the agile hunter sidestepped just in time, catching the fiery vampire before she toppled over.

"No clue what you're talking about," Callista replied coolly, heading towards class. 

Natalia, however, had no interest in taking that as a dismissal. She practically skipped alongside, settling into the seat beside her. Her eyes, wide with a mixture of awe and confusion, bulged like saucers. 

"You argued with the Princess? In your first week?"

Callista slammed a leather-bound book onto the table. "Let's just say she wasn't what I pictured.”

Natalia, barely containing herself, leaned closer. "What did you expect, then? Untouchable royalty, right?"

"Serene, graceful... maybe not so... touchy. Do you know her well?" 

An uneasy feeling stirred in Callista’s stomach. The faint scent of blood clinging to Natalia was different, less repulsive, unlike the Princess's. Had Athena indulged in fresh blood so early in the morning?

Natalia, surprised, mirroring Callista, shook her head. "Acquaintances at best. My family... well, they have connections to the court. The Princess always seemed... distant." A glint in her eyes, accentuated by the ostentatious pigeon-blood ruby pendant around her neck, hinted at noble lineage.

"Interesting," Callista said, turning her gaze towards the approaching botany lecture. A thought, unexpected and unsettling, swam beneath the surface: 'Target of the aloof Princess's attention. Not exactly concerning, is it?'

A silent game of cat and mouse had begun. Who would crack first?

And who would ultimately meet their end?