Damian and Aloise were both gathered in Asheron's room getting ready for the ball. Asheron was currently fixing his silver tie.

It matched the mask he was wearing. It was a simple half mask, only covering the top part of his face. From the forehead little silver horns stuck out and curved slightly upward. For the rest of his outfit, he simply wore an Ash grey suit.

Damian's mask was surprisingly simple. Only covering his mouth and nose, It was smooth and pitch black, but it didn't have any shine to it. The suit he wore was also black.

"Oh uncle, I also got you something." Damian suddenly said looking at Aloise with a grin.

Aloise, who had been sitting in a chair watching them with his head resting on his hand, suddenly perked up.

Asheron knew Aloise wanted to go the ball and he felt bad because there was nothing he could do to improve his brothers mood. So, hearing that Damian got Aloise something for the ball also made Asheron look at him hopefully.

Damian pulled something from behind his back and handed it to Aloise.

It was a full face mask. It was porcelain with red tint on the cheeks and cherry red lips. The artificial hair of the mask was spun into a curly rose gold design.

It was the cut face of an angel.

Aloise stared at the mask blankly.

"Well, how do you like it." Damian said, his eyes were glossy and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Aloise put on the mask and said in a monotone voice. "It's great."

With that, Damian couldn't hold it in any longer. His laughter filled the room.

"What's so funny?" Aloise continued in the same dull voice.

"Pfft." Asheron covered his mouth and turned away.

Aloise turned to Asheron. "You too?"

Asheron shook his head. That dull and monotone voice coming from that sweetly smiling angel face seemed wrong. To the point it that it was hilarious.

After a while, even Aloise' shoulders began to shake with laughter and his blue eyes crinkled behind the mask.

"Alright," Aloise said with a sigh taking off the mask. "You two have to go now or you'll be late."

Asheron nodded and they all made their way downstairs.

Usually, Asheron makes Damian drive him around except for special occasions like tonight. Now there was a driver outside waiting for them in the front.

"Bye, don't have too much fun without me." Aloise says from the doorway.

Asheron smiles at him and suddenly spots Vlad on the staircase. He looks as if he just woke up. His black hair was in messy curls and his silky red shirt hung open showing smooth pale skin. Vlad continues down the steps and disappears towards the kitchen.

Asheron frowned slightly. Vlad was to arrive separately from him and Damian but he at least expected him to be somewhat ready. And on top of that...

Asheron glanced from Vlad to Aloise and back again. He didn't really trust Vlad who had been showing odd behavior ever since he first arrived. Even if Vlad would be leaving for the party as well, having him alone with Aloise made Asheron uneasy.

Aloise glanced back and as if reading Asheron's mind smiled and said,"I'll be fine. I'll be going back to my room when you leave anyway. Now go before you miss something interesting."

After being practically pushed out by Aloise, Asheron finally decides to leave. Once in the car, Asheron gives one more look at Aloise.

Aloise waves at them and puts his mask on before closing the large door.

The car ride to Lord Elmeese' place was filled with chatter between Asheron and Damian. It was mostly Damian doing all the talking.

Asheron could tell he was excited, and seeing his son's happy face he couldn't help share in his excitement. Even if it was just a little for his sake.

They arrived at Lord Elmeese' 'house' at midnight. He says house but it's built like a small modern day castle.

Damian whistled as he looked up at the 'house'. Asheron only frowned. He couldn't imagine the expenses it took to keep up a house this big. However knowing Elmeese' background, he guessed it really wouldn't put much of a dent in his bank account.

Looking around he saw there were a few more people arriving as well.

Following behind the other guest, they made their way inside. The first thing that greeted them was a pretty maid girl in a plain white mask. She bowed and lead them through the 'house'.

Soon they arrived at large elegantly carved double doors. From the other side, Asheron could hear the sound of classical music playing. Two servants on either side of them bowed and then opened the doors into a circular ballroom, brightly lit by a large crystal chandelier on the ceiling. There were already people in the room laughing and sipping on pink champagne all of them wearing a mask.

There were some humans as well. The few wealthy blue bloods who knew vampires existed.

Many tried to stay in a noble vampire's good graces in the hopes of gaining immortality. Some were even willing to do certain "illegal" favors.

Lord Elmeese seemed to know a lot of humans like this. Which didn't surprise Asheron at all.

Sweeping his eyes across the room, Asheron looked for Lord Elmeese. It would be rude of him to not greet the host of the party. Besides after he got that out the way, he could find his own corner to spend the rest of the night in.

"I'm going to get us drinks." Damian suddenly whispered close to his ear.

Asheron nodded absentmindedly, still looking around.

A loud and cheery laugh suddenly echoed around the ballroom drawing everyone's attention. Sure enough, it was Elmeese.

Even with the mask, Asheron recognized that laugh and that beard. Not many vampires aged enough to have a beard.

Elmeese golden mask had two large goat horns that curled out to the sides of his head. He was currently surrounded by some humans.

"Lord Elmeese really, you must tell me where you got your mask from." One human woman said hurriedly.

"Yes, and your suit is made with such fine material. Who is your tailor?" A human man added.

Elmeese let out another echoing laugh. The humans laughed as well.

If only they knew Elmeese was laughing at them and not at anything they said.

Asheron walked up to him and cleared his throat.

"Elmeese." He said with a slight nod.

"Oh, Asheron! I'm so glad you came."

Could he really have refused? Asheron gave a half smile.

"So tell me how is Lord Vlad doing, and again , thank you for taking him in. I was really a bit busy handling some things. I'm sure you understand."

"Right....Vlad is doing well."

As Asheron finished talking he could feel the eyes on him though they tried to hide it. He knew everyone was curious about Vlads situation. Still, Asheron didn't like gossip so if they wanted to find something out they would have to ask Vlad themselves.

"Good, that's good. So no...odd behavior?"

Asheron looked at Elmeese closely then.

"What do you mean?"

Elmeese opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by the sound of trumpets. The lights dimmed and a spotlight pointed at the double doors.

Everyone fell silent as they looked at them expectantly.

The doors flew open with a gust of wind and standing in the spotlight was Vlad.

His body was covered in a black feathered cape. The bird mask he was wearing covered the upper half of his face with a long black beak and glossy black feathers sticking up at the top.

His red eyes scanned the crowd slowly before he threw open his cape with another gust of wind creating the image of a black wings.

The room immediately erupted in applause.

Asheron also clapped but his mind wasn't really focused on Vlads show. 

Where was Damian?

 Just as Asheron turned to push his way through the crowd to find him, he bumped into him.

Causing the two wine glasses he was holding to spill.

"I'm sorry! I'll get some towels!" Damian started to raise his hand to get servants attention.

"No." Asheron said with a sigh as he looked down at his suit. "It's fine. I'll just go to the bathroom."

"I'll go with you."

Asheron gave Damian a look. "I think I can handle it."

After trying and failing to wipe the wine out of his suit Asheron left the bathroom. He frowned as he looked at his now ruined grey suit.

It's not that he really cared about the suit, it's just that walking around with a big pink stain was very...he thought he would look foolish.

"No way! Another one?"

As Asheron walked down the bathroom hall he passed two vampire servers. They seemed engrossed in their conversation and didn't even notice him.

"That's right. Another vampire went missing. They were seen at 'Randells' one night and we're gone the next. I heard her lover has a pretty high status. Maybe he can hire a private investigator."

Asheron paused in his steps as he listened for a moment. Vampires going missing wasn't uncommon. Take Vlad. This whole ball was to welcome his return after being missing for years.

There were many reasons why vampires left. One being that the regular humans were becoming suspicious of the fact that they were not aging so they had to relocate for a few decades. Another reason is that they were just bored and wanted to travel. And the last reason...

Asheron thought of parents and decided to stop listening to the little vampires. Besides, the affairs of the common vampire had nothing to do with him.