Masquerade

     As I walked through the hallway towards the ballroom, I could feel someone watching me. I ignored it while I passed people dressed in the most exquisite attire. One of them was bathing in orange and black, detailed with hundreds of monarch butterflies, who almost looked as if they were fluttering around each other. The person wore an equally intricate detailed butterfly mask and I did my best not to stare.

     I wish I could check myself in the mirror to see my black lace dress and mask, but I hadn't had a reflection for centuries. Red sparkles glinted in the corner of my eyes and I looked down at the little beads, imitating splatters of glittery blood. I smiled a little at my own inside joke. A vampire wearing a fake bloody dress, how fitting.

     

     I entered the ballroom and heard the music of some darkwave band growing louder and louder with every step, until the bass was fully beating through my chest. People, gorgeous people, moved together to the melody. Some were kissing, while others were making up strange dance moves, making their friends laugh. A group of three were intimately dancing with each other until they made their way out of the ballroom, finding a more private location to continue their shenanigans.

     I felt the sensation of someone watching me again, and turned round, just as someone behind me was about to tap on my shoulder.

     My breath caught as I took in the vision in front of me. She was the most mystical person I've ever seen in my life.

     Her dress was so white, it was almost blinding. Little gold threads were flowing through the cloud-like tule, which pooled around her like morning mist. Her mask looked like a renaissance church ceiling and her golden hair fell in ringlets down to her waist, which seemed to sparkle beneath the reflective lights of the disco ball. The green in her eyes was so bright that it reminded me of sun rays hitting a patch of grass underneath some trees. I haven't seen sunny grass in a long time and I missed it so much.

     

"Hi, I'm so delighted to make your acquaintance." She stuck her hand forward. I took it, her hand fitting perfectly in mine. "You're like a gorgeous shadow. Has anyone ever told you that black is made for you?"

     So many people have. I couldn't even remember the amount who had, because I never cared for those kinds of compliments. But now that she said it, my dead heart did something it hadn't done in a long time, it fluttered.

I brushed away one of the strands of black hair I'd purposefully left out of my intricately woven bun.

     "Yes they have, but you're by far the prettiest person who has told me so. Would you care for a dance?" I asked, holding out my hand.

     Her smile seemed to brighten the entire room when she looked at me. "Yes, I'd love to!" She exclaimed, and laid her hand in mine.

As we approached the center of the dancefloor the band had started playing a slower song and I let my free hand fall on her waist. I guided our dance and felt us grow in sync with every sway and whirl.

     "You're quite the dancer," I told her. "Do you come here often?"

     She grinned. "I've been sort of a dancing champion back in the day actually."

     "What, like with competitions and everything?"

     "Yes, with competitions and everything." She laughed and made a little pirouette. The cloud-like dress swirled around her like the beginning of a storm. Her golden hair shimmered and I stood before her in awe.

                    

     "So, what about you? What's your name?" Light catched in her eyes as she asked and I felt something in my chest again.

     "I am Count Isabella Victoria II, but you can call me Izzy." It was weird saying my true name, but there was something in those eyes, a strange sense of safety. As if I had known her forever yet not at all. I smiled at her.

     "A true count, huh? I feel honoured." She returned my smile and said, "I am Rune, not as fancy as you, but it's something." She raised her hands above her head as she said it, imitating a little jump. "You know that meme? It's something?" She laughed at her own joke and I couldn't help but laugh too. I had no idea what she was talking about, but it was cute.

     We danced and danced, letting the well-dressed people around us have something to write home about. We swayed together to the beat and held on to each other like gravity.

     At one particularly slow song I leaned forward and as she did the same, I let our lips brush together. It felt electric. I grabbed her close and pulled her into a proper kiss, while she leaned in to my touch. 

She tasted sweet, probably the Meade that was served at the bar. Her lips were soft, so soft, and I gave in, kissing her hungrily.

     My fangs grazed her lips, which made me tense up, but instantly felt relief when she moaned into my mouth. Some people hadn't been so happy when they found out what I was, but Rune did not seem to mind at all. She pushed herself against me even more, letting her hands roam across my body.

     My own hands were into her hair, probably ruining the perfect curls, which I prepared to get punished for, but I did not care at the moment. All I cared about was feeling her touch me and kiss me, because I was sure I had just found heaven. 

     "Where have you been all my life?" She asked me, breaking our kiss.

     "Here and there."

     "Yea I can imagine. What countries have you visited? Or should I ask what countries you haven't visited?"

     She seemed giddy to know everything, so I did just that. I told her everything. How I've travelled the entire world, made friends of all different languages, flirted with warriors and wooed princesses. She looked at me with awe.

     "Please take me with you next time?"

     I grinned. "You sure about that?"

     "I've never been more sure about anything in my life." She reached for her ankle and showed me what she meant, the knife glinting in the disco lights.

     Then, she took my hand and whisked me away from the crowd. Her bright eyes full of hope, making sure I followed. Damn, I would follow her to the end of the world.

     We made our way out of the ballroom, through the grand hall and up winding stairs, into a little side corridor. Our steps echoing off the painted ceilings.

     I wasted no time once we rounded the corner and immediately pressed my lips on hers again. Feeling her so close to me was like magic. Our tongues danced just like we had done just minutes ago, but it felt like a lifetime away. I lost myself in her touch, hands warm on my skin and her heart beating loud against my not so dead heart. Time moved at amazing speeds yet stood still simultaneously, a complicated dance only the rhythm of time understood.

     I buried my face in her neck, my teeth grazing against her, resisting the urge to bite into her soft flesh.

     "Do it." she breathed, "Bite me. Make me yours."

     That's all I needed to hear. I plunged my teeth into her, retracted and locked my lips around the wounds. Her blood filled my mouth and it tasted amazing. My body grew warmer as I drank and the world became more saturated with every swallow.

     I stopped before she would lose too much blood and let her grab her knife, which she placed against my arm. I helped her push the knife down with my free hand and saw the blood welling up around the blade.

     Rune looked at me, silently asking my permission.

     I reached my arm towards her face in answer, watching her as she locked her lips around the dark red liquid.

     "Join me in death, baby." I whispered, and she drank the blood that gave her immortality.