[center][h1][i][color=red]~Bonsoir~[/color][/i][/h1]
[img] https://aucas.cooperstownconcert.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Victorian-Manor-House-Restaurant.jpg [/img]
[h3]Crest Manor[/h3]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QjP8NGjg-8]Like Venus Melting in the Morning[/url][/center]

The time had come to find the daughter of Lord and Lady Crest a suitable husband. One that would take care of her, take over the estate and handle affairs of the family’s assets and business interests now that her father had left the land of the living. The Lord that was chosen was the son of Alexander Crest’s business partner Lord Christopher Spencer and his son Christopher Spencer Jr. Thus, the Crests threw a lavish masquerade ball in their daughter’s honour, as it was her 21st birthday. A big deal of reaching true adulthood for any member of high society. 

Lady Victoria, the half English-half French beauty, taking mainly after her French mother Lady Diana Moncourier-Crest, adorned a stunningly [url= https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c0/52/02/c05202fd8678b1aa7311346947d8f4f0--fantasy-armor-fantasy-characters.jpg]sexy red gown[/url] and a [url= https://i.pinimg.com/736x/75/ac/04/75ac04d64aaec24e904a1dcfcd7af0d7.jpg]golden masquerade mask.[/url] 

The guests were gathered in the grand parlour as the Head Butler, Sebastian, tapped a glass to announce the arrival of their guest of honour. “Ladies and Lords. Lady Victoria Crest.” The butler gestured toward the top of the grand staircase. She approached the bannister of the stair case and ascended with grace unmatched. It was almost intoxicating for the Lord Spencer as his eyes practically leaped from their sockets. She looked upon all the guests below with sadness glinting behind her eyes as she was still very grief stricken at losing her beloved father. She was not in the party mood and she was less looking forward to meeting her chosen betrothed, feeling trapped and forced into this life she knew was a complete farce. For she knew the true purpose of her father’s legacy and it was not within riches nor the high flyers of society…it lay in keeping mortals safe from the threat of vampiric embrace. Her father was her hero. He had saved her once before from the clutches of evil. Now all she could think about was how to carry on that legacy and protect herself and her family. 

“Lady Victoria, you look…simply ravishing this eve.” Lord Spencer was practically drooling at the vixen as he bowed to her. She curtseyed in return to the Lord. “Thank you, My Lord.” She feigned a small smile and looked at him through her golden mask with violet eyes that glinted in the light. Tales of her beauty ventured far and wide. The Lord took the back of her hand and kissed it, as was accustomed to do so at these events. 

As Spencer lifted his head from her hand and towered over her, she looked up at him sadly. Ever since she lost her father, she felt numb. It felt…wrong to be without him here. That’s when she realised, they would never find anyone to replace him, even in death. Spencer let go of her soft hand and she glanced away and took a champagne flute and took a sip to calm her growing anger. The fact no-one knew Alex’s secret life, the things he had done for these people, Victoria was forced to keep it a secret all this time. When really, she wanted to shout from the top of her lungs that she would vow to carry on his legacy. Somehow…she didn’t even know how to wield a sword or gun, though she watched the boys fencing classes at school, committing their moves to memory. 

The fact of the matter was, Lord Spencer Jr could not hold a candle to Alexander Crest nor take care of Victoria the way she needed to be protected due to her special and rare blood that make her the biggest target for miles around. She had to be careful not to injure herself or draw any form of blood. She was placed in a bubble after her accident 9 years ago that alerted a vampire to her presence. For she had too much iron in her blood which made it smell ten times stronger than the average human. This was due to the descending genes of her parents who both had the condition yet known to medical science. The condition that would be later called Haemochromatosis. Symptoms would not display in her for another ten years. 

The guests went back to mingling as Lord Spencer spoke with some other high-profile Lords of society, leaving Victoria stood in the centre of a room full of people she hardly knew and still feeling quite alone in the world. Who would protect her now? And more importantly, how would she find the vampire who murdered her father?