“I’ll never understand why you find enjoyment in going to these… events,” Lord Peter Hygrace folded his arms across his chest as he stood in his son’s doorway. The time was nearing seven o’ clock, and the head of the household had stopped by to see his heir off before he left for the masquerade thrown by the Crest family that night.

“It’s called a party,” Vail turned away from his dresser to cast his father an amused smile. Despite the difference in their ages, the two could have been mistaken for siblings. A perk of immortality, Vail supposed. He and his father shared the same lean, yet sturdy frame, commanding stature, and brown hair that reflected a silvery sheen in the light. The biggest difference between them was Vail’s hazel colored eyes, a tribute from his mother, Katherine Hygrace.

The younger of the two turned away again to put on a tailcoat. “It’s the best opportunity I have to get out of this suffocating manor without drawing attention to myself,” Vail went on simply. “Why shouldn’t I enjoy myself?”

“Perhaps because you’re on your way to the [i]Crest[/i] manor,” Peter frowned. “You know that family has been involved in the Order for centuries, Vail. They’re dangerous. They’re the ones who call our kind demons and kill us in the name of justice.”

“Yes, yes,” Vail rolled his eyes stubbornly. “And that’s why I’ll keep my head down.” Finished getting dressed, he stepped away from the dresser and made his way toward the door. “I’m not hungry at all. I have complete control right now.” He held up his hands in a shrug as he stood before his father. “Besides, this is a [i]masquerade[/i] party. It’s perfect. My face will be covered, and there will be so many other people around that a Wynter would have a hard time picking out my scent in the crowd. There’s no risk.”

Peter pursed his lips into a thin line before letting out a reluctant sigh. “Very well,” he conceded. “If you’re absolutely certain there’s no risk, then I wish you well.”

“Thank you,” Vail nodded courteously and then grinned, flashing a set of fanged canines as his lip curved away from his teeth. He reached into his coat pocket and held up a silver mask in front of his face. “I’ll be back later. Don’t wait up.” With that, he stepped past Peter and headed for the door.

--

It was plain to see that the Crest family had done well for themselves over the years.

Vail craned his neck as his eyes roved over the lavish manor, which has been decorated extravagantly for the birthday of the heiress, Lady Victoria. It was his first time visiting the place, and it would have been a lie to say he wasn’t impressed. The ballroom itself was gorgeous with décor to catch the eye almost everywhere he looked. Having always been one to appreciate human luxuries, he could have spent hours simply wandering around to take it all in. However, he didn’t get the chance before the chime of silverware on glass caught his attention.

Standing near a table that had been filled from edge to edge with a wide array of food and drinks, Vail spun around to listen to the butler announce the Lady Victoria’s arrival. Murmurs began to sound around him as the rest of the guests spoke quietly amongst themselves, whispering about the rumors of the Lady’s beauty. He lifted a glass of sherry to his lips, his light eyes flicking toward the nearby people before shifting to the staircase. Even though he had only attended the party to get out of his own family’s manor for a few hours, he couldn’t help but feel curious to see who the Crests’ daughter was. He hadn’t heard much about her aside from the little his father had mentioned, but from what the people around him were saying now, she sounded like quite the woman.

His hunch was proven correct when Victoria emerged at the top of the stairs. To say she was beautiful was an understatement. Though he had enough sense not to ogle like some of the other men in the ballroom, he still watched her discreetly as she descended from the top of the upper floor. There was a melancholy about the Lady that seemed out of place at such a vibrant party, but he had a feeling he knew why she was distressed. Word had already reached the Hygraces about the death of Lord Alexander Crest, the former head of the Crest household and a high ranking member of the Order. It hadn’t been long since the man’s demise, so his daughter was probably still mourning.

As Victoria was greeted by a man at the bottom of the stairs, Vail turned away again, uninterested in their exchange now that he had sated his curiosity about who the heiress was. He sipped causally at his drink, making his way across the room to continue looking over the Crest family luxuries. It felt good to be able to move about without looking over his shoulder. The mask that adorned his face helped him to blend right in with the crowd, and he hadn’t caught so much as a whiff of a Wynter. It was starting to seem like none of the other vampire clan had even shown up to the party. Good news for him.

Suddenly, Vail was drawn from his thoughts when he felt himself bump into someone else with his shoulder. Having been distracted by the scenery, he realized he hadn’t kept his eyes in front of him as he should have been. He silently chided himself for being careless. Just because he was able to let his guard down didn’t mean he could keep his head in the clouds.

“Sorry,” he said, turning to apologize to whomever he’d run into, and then froze when he recognized the Lady Victoria. Of course, it was just his luck that he would have collided with the honored guest of all people. So much for keeping his head down. Eager to make amends in case she was upset, he quickly bowed to her in a respectful gesture. “Ah, I was hoping I might run into you, Lady Victoria,” he lied, hoping a bit of humor would diffuse the uncomfortable situation and give him some time to think of a reason why he would have wanted to speak with her in the first place.

After a pause, he thought of something, “I just wanted to say what a lovely party this is. I think it’s very brave of you to attend something like this in light of… recent events.” He bit the tip of his tongue, realizing too late that it might not have been the best idea to bring up the fate of her father. Unable to take back the comment, he pinched the bridge of his nose in embarrassment. “I’m sorry. Forget I said that… I’m just going to go now.”