Party at the Mansion

[Prince Vladislaus Draculea]

The grand mansion stretched to the sky as it stood ahead of him, atop many wide steps that issued from the large double door entrance. Others were climbing them, couples of people, arm in arm as they ascended and conversed gently with each other under the night sky. Long flowing dresses accompanying fine evening tuxedos he observed as he walked past them, his strides wider and less delaying. The informally dressed doormen bowed deeply and drew apart the doors. He nodded in acknowledgement.

Music flowed gently to his ears and he curled a lip into a distant smirk, his eyes slowly scanning the large hall before him, many people dancing in pairs to the slow waltz, circling about their companions with looks of happiness eagerly glowing upon their faces. He spent no longer than a minute pondering upon the fact he had never felt such contentment, such a devotion that he would give his life for it. Never. He straightened his clothing and stepped away from the doors and through the masses of dancing companions.

It was not long before his eyes happened upon a couple, their feet moving in perfect time with those three beats every bar. The man and woman gazing gently into each other’s eyes clearly were in their own world, a tiny bubble secluding them from everything, giving them a world to themselves, a world only they share until someone, rips it into pieces with one foul but elegant stroke.

‘Excuse me Sir, but you are unfortunately in my way,’ a disturbingly calm voice commanded with a statement. The voice had issued from cold, uncaring lips, and from the same owner reached a pale hand that curled its fingers about the man’s shoulders, gripping tighter.

Pulled from his pleasant daze his eyebrows contracted into a deep and confused frown. His fingers reached for the woman beside him, trying to grasp onto her, but the intruder of their world pulled him away and stood between them, facing the man. ‘Leave now.’ He said simply. The man slowly began to shake his head in disbelief, his eyes only met with an amused sternness.

A wide smirk spread across his face and the man before him almost jumped a foot away, now backing off slowly, his eyes fixed upon fangs that hung over the bottom lip of Prince Vladislaus Draculea. Dark eyes flared as the colour of flames and they stared deliberately back at him, concentrating on something, some power deep within him.

The unsure gaze of the man before him faltered under his incomparable glare, wondering ever more urgently what he was doing until he slowly began discovering the answer for himself. His throat constricted, unwillingly he no longer drew in air and his body began to tingle. His eyes widened as his face, then neck and upper body started to numb. He was feeling pure fear, the result of looking so deeply into the Lamia's gaze. Without a second glance he ran with what little breath and feeling he had left, pushing past all of the other couples.

Vlad turned to the woman, forcefully took her hands, and his eyes fixed now upon her. He resumed the waltz with her, she was unable to resist, some spell cast upon her as he slowly licked his lips, flicking through his desires, wondering quietly her fate.

‘Let us have our own world for now.’

[Montague Verity]

A gentle breeze made it's way through trees, though the tall mansions, playing with the women's hair. And it also made Montague's hair dance on it. He stroked over his tuxedo jacket to straighten it. A deep breath he took before looking up, a long lane with a red carpet leading to a door which periodically would open for new arrivals. It was his first party in some time. In a hundred year or so to be specific.

A slight grin came onto his face as he realised how stupid that actually sounded. He shrugged it off and started moving forward over the soft red carpet. The colour reminded him to blood, that would maybe spill tonight if he was not carefull.

Again Montague pushed these thoughts away. 'Okey, something happy, think about something happy,' he thought to himself.

Realizing he was already at the door, it went open and some of the most beautiful music reached his ears, instantly a content smile found his lips. As he looked around the whole ball room was full with people, absolutly packet. Couples we're dancing the waltz, something he hadn't done in ages. A sudden feeling of loneliness came over him as he saw the happy faces of the couples, dancing on the music.

Moving further he found his way to the drinks table by moving on the sides of the wide ball room. Elegant glasses filled with different liquids, silver plates with the most delicious treatments were alignt on the long table. Montague only got a glass of red whine. It swirled into the glass when he picked it up, smelling the aroma he took a sip. It tasted even better then the aroma told the taste. As he turned around the waltz gently went over into a faster passed waltz, and the couples automatically started to dance faster.

There he stood, at the table, all alone. Some couples walking by looked weird at him. It wasn't very common for a men to come alone without a companion. Montague didn't really care, maybe this was saver for him.

[Prince Vladislaus Draculea]

She could not break from the trance, dancing to the ever quickening waltz. She could only remain in his grasp as a gentle smirk rested upon his pale lips. But then as she was spun in time with the music, her eyes happened upon a lone man. She tried desperately to catch another glance, to shake herself from Vlad's power, try to focus on something outside his spell.

It was like her muscles did not want to obey her, not even her eyes wanted to detract from Vlad's face. She continued to fight until she turned her head to the side and had a good look. The lone man was watching the others, drinking a glass of red wine, he wasn't engrossed in dancing as the others were.

Over and over again she attempted until finally her lips moved, just as they moved into the man's view, she mouthed the words, 'Help me please!'

As she finished her last word, the dance halted suddenly, and Vlad glared at her. Fear began to fill her heart as she wondered if she had risked to much to ask for help. His head spun to look in the direction she had pleaded and noticed for himself the man that stood alone. A grin spread across his face as his senses moved out and discovered the truth about this man who looked younger than his eyes betrayed.

He turned back to the woman, 'And what help do you think he could provide my dear?'

[Montague Verity]

As he pondered into nothingness. Couples swirling by on the beats of the music he silently sipped his red whine. His fingers traced the edge of the glass, making perfect circles everytime again and again.

He focussed on the dancing couples, their perfect feet work. Some completly oblvious to their surrounding, so compasionate about the dance. But then, in a blur of movement he saw a woman, mouthing words to him. In a flash the scene was over and left Montague confused behind.

Moving his head around to locate the woman, the song finished and the couples started clapping, however two did not. A man, stearing into his direction, a cold grin on his face. And the woman, eyes full of fear, you could see she was trying to walk away, but her body wasn't anwsering her. In a flash he saw the woman mouthing the words again, now realising what she tried to say. 'Help me please.'

Montague got an eery feeling that this wasn't going to be good. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. What was he going to do now? This man, still looking into his direction didn't seemed pleasant at all. As he turned back he talked to her, and her eyes, to what it seemed to him, lost all hope. What was he doing to this pretty girl?

And once again, Monty couldn't make a decision so soon. What if he just waited and see what happend? It wasn't his business right? But the woman pleaded for his help, or at least that is what he was thinking. Should he go there and ask what was going on? But still, the guy didn't look at all that sociable to go and ask why the girl was so scared.

[Prince Vladislaus Draculea]

The next song commenced as Vlad remained smirking, taking her in his arms again. But suddenly he stumbled to the left as a clumsy couple fell into them. At once his spell of fear upon the woman was broken. He snarled at the other couple as they tried to apologise and hurriedly moved elsewhere. Then he cast about searching for the woman. It was too late, she was from his grasp, already running toward the man she had tried to cry for.

He lurched across the hall toward them, weaving between couples as they got in his way, there seemed to be more and more people packing the place tighter together. He pushed a couple out of his way and they protested loudly, though not disturbing the music. He did not make a backwards glance as he moved closer to the woman.

Soon he broke free from the crowd just as the woman made it to what she hoped was her rescuer. He smirked and walked toward them, raising an eyebrow and taking a slow and deliberately laid-back tone,

'Sorry, this dance is mine, you'll have to find another young lady.' he slowly grasped onto the trembling arm of his victim, 'Come my dear, the night has not drawn to your- an end.' he laughed for a moment and cut it short with a sneer. Then he turned to the man and nodded, 'I trust you have no objection?'