San Diego, Duchy of Greater California, 2063

[Veronica's POV]

Veronica looks out the (UV-polarized) windows of her palatial office on the fortieth floor of what was once called the "Pacific Gate" skyscraper. Now, it serves as the regional headquarters for Veronica's administration. It is 10 pm, on a clear cool night. Beneath her window, San Diego is mostly quiet. Some humans are going back and forth, on their assigned errands. Hybrids leisurely stroll the streets. Many of the buildings have been torn down over the last few decades, but this building remains, the nerve center of Veronica's duchy. San Diego is beautiful, but not the natural capital. But, with what happened to Los Angeles during the wars...

Veronica looks back at her computer display. She drums her long, pale fingers on the desk, and sips a mug of warm blood. No big surprises in this week's census figures she thinks.

 
Veronica smiles. A pyramid. A stable pyramid. Vampires, then hybrids, then livestock. She does the familiar math in her head: if we Vampires truly let loose, we'd burn through 0.5% of the human stock per year. If the Vampires and Hybrids let loose, our region would be bone dry after seventeen months. Careful farming and management of the blood supply ensures stability and continuity for our race.

Of course, for the elites like Veronica, there are no rules. Her status affords her an unlimited supply of live, young humans to dominate, to drink, to drain. (This inequality led to considerable resentment within the hybrid class, a constant source of anxiety for Veronica.)

No male vampires. Ever Veronica notes. Elizabeth's law is unequivocal on this point.

Veronica's brow furrows. So they are still estimating about fifteen thousand unregistered (wild) humans. That's almost twenty percent more than the eggheads reported last week. She makes a note to inquire further. There is no resistance to speak of among the wild humans, but Veronica knows that she must stay vigilant. It's more trouble than its worth to hunt down the last free humans, in their ramshackle mountain hideaways.

Veronica looks over the labor statistics. About two fifths of the humans in agriculture -- excellent. Elizabeth's program of deindustrialization among the livestock continues apace. (The vampires and hybrids still have most comforts of technology, of course.) The forests, the atmosphere, the climate, all are healing steadily. Towns and cities, depopulated, give way to croplands. Cropland gives way to forests and Savannah.

Two point seven million factory farmed, and barely enough to keep up with the rapacious demand for fresh blood among the hybrids Veronica chuckles. She makes a note to "conscript" more of the free humans into service.

Next, Veronica considers the demographic forecasts. Eighty-six percent female. Ninety-three percent female for ages under eighteen. Excellent. The most delicious blood types are becoming dominant. The wonders of selective breeding and careful management.

Formally, Veronica is the Duchess of Greater California, but she laughs when she hears the title. Her duchy actually includes California as well as the former U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona, and the former Mexican states of Baja California (North and South), and Sonora. Veronica has ruled over the region for twenty four years, ascending not long after the conclusion of the (short) Human-Vampire War and Queen Elizabeth's assent to the global throne. The early days were chaotic and bloody. Now, Greater California is a vampiric paradise Veronica thinks.

Veronica, Duchess of California

Veronica is proud of her region. Under her careful guidance, the human population has been scaled down to 18% of its pre-war levels. (The male population, downsized by 95%.) Her duchy was one of the most tranquil and productive in Elizabeth's Empire. (In more...defiant...regions, it was not uncommon to see downsizing of more than 99%.)

Moreover, Veronica is proud of herself. Diana, a chief adviser to Queen Elizabeth, plucked her from Veronica from relative obscurity. Veronica was a mid-level logistics specialist in the supply chain of a large online retailer. But the Vampires saw more in her. And now, millions kneel before me. Veronica has lustrous red hair, and a youthful face. Her prominent jaw is distinctive but beautiful. Her figure is attractive, with a firm round butt and a flat, athletic tummy. She resents that unlike almost all other Vampires she knows, her breasts never quite enlarged on turning. On the other hand, I can wear dresses they never could.

The relative calm and orderliness of her region made Veronica wonder why Jessica, the Queen's formal consort and informal Prime Minister, would be visiting San Diego tomorrow night.

What does she want here? Veronica thinks. With uprisings in Indonesia and Brazil, why here?

Veronica is interrupted from her reflections by the buzzing of the intercom inlaid in her desk.

"Duchess Veronica, I have your evening breakfast waiting" the intercom buzzes. Pressing a button on her desk, Veronica opens the doors. Standing in the doorway are two human servants. Between them, they tightly grip the arms of a human girl. She wears a thin nightgown, and her mouth is gagged. Her straight dark brown hair frames an oval face, and deep-set brown eyes. Veronica can see just the shadow of the girl's pubic hair against her pale skin just under the fabric. She's quite lovely Veronica thinks, and excellent choice.

"I'll take my meal in the parlor" Veronica says, rising from her desk to go to the sitting room just off of her office. The servants know what do to: they've done it dozens of times before. These servants aren't enthralled Veronica notes disdainfully, and yet they still sacrifice their own to me. It's pitiful.

Veronica walks to her parlor, removing her jacket as she goes. The humans follow behind her, dragging the blood ****. Veronica lays back on the sofa in the parlor, as the human servants chain the girl to a padded table. Her arms are bent at the elbows, her wrists affixed to the table about six inches from each shoulder. They bind her ankles to the table, spreading her legs about two feet apart at the feet. The human servants bow their heads and swiftly exit the room, closing the door behind them.

Veronica rises, and removes her blouse. Her nipples stiffen in the cool air. She walks to the girl, and removes her gag. The girl says nothing, but watches Veronica closely.

"And what is your name, pet?" Veronica asks, running a finger over the girl's full lips.

"Nomi" the girl answers, her voice breaking.

"That's a lovely name, human" Veronica says, dragging her finger over the girl's exposed nipple. She looks at the tattoo on the girl's shoulder. Ah. AB-negative. Rare Veronica thinks. Veronica caresses the girl's flat stomach, and runs her fingers over the girl's pubic hair. The girl works hard to not register any reaction. Veronica slides her index finger along the girl's slit, making the girl shudder.

"What are you going to do with me?" the girl asks. Veronica is surprised at the girl's presumptuousness. Her courage deserves an honest answer Veronica thinks.

"What do you think, Nomi?" Veronica asks playfully. "You're old enough to understand what vampires do to humans."

"You were human once, too, your highness" the girl says. Veronica's smile disappears.

"That was a long time ago" Veronica snaps, "before you were born."

Veronica, having had enough of this game, bends down and cups the girl's breast, biting deeply into it. The girl's blood spills into her mouth as she sucks on the wound. Veronica is disappointed: the cow won't even give Veronica the pleasure of screaming. Veronica is impressed by the girl's self-control. Maybe I'll keep this one she thinks. Licking the girl's breast, Veronica moves to bite into her thigh. Again, other a quick flinch, the girl registers no pain, no terror. Veronica feeds from the girl's thigh until she loses consciousness. She makes a quick decision in her head to spare the girl. She's interesting Veronica thinks.

Licking the girl's thigh, Veronica moves to lay on her back on the sofa. With her fingers, she collects the blood from her lips and chin and licks it. Exquisite. Too good to drain.

Veronica presses the intercom button on the wall by the sofa.

"Yes.......yes, please collect her.....no, still alive....yes, please keep her for later" Veronica instructs. She replaces her blouse. Three minutes later, the human servants return to collect the **** bloodslave.

Her belly full of fresh blood, Veronica returns to brooding over Jessica's visit.