The Girl & The Vampire(A prequel to A Haunting Face)

The Masquerade Ball

Disclaimer: My version of Dracula is based on the actor from the movie Van Helsing, appearance wise.

Snow fell softly onto the ground from the darkened sky up above. It was New Year's Eve, a time of celebrating, and a time to prepare for what lie ahead. The night was cold, almost freezing. Icicles hung from the roof trim of the mansion, in which hundreds of people from across the world could be found dancing, laughing, and having a good time. Each figure's face was hidden behind a mask, each with intricate designs on them. Women wore fancy dresses, their bodies decorated with jewelry that were either passed down through generations of their family or gifted to them by peoples of high authority. Men were dressed in dark tuxedos, the smell of different colognes filling the air from their bodies.

Gaston Vilosovia was one of the wealthiest men in the world, making him one of the most well-known men in history. He was famous among all peoples, whether rich or poor. Everyone knew of him, and everyone knew of his lavish parties. Many wished they could attend such parties, but Gaston only invited the finest and richest of people to his mansion, of which there were many.

Gaston wandered through the crowd of people, welcoming each of his guests as he made his way through the large group. His eyes landed on one lady whom he had his eyes on since she arrived. "May I have this dance?" He asked the maiden, offering his hand, which the woman accepted. The two stepped onto the dance floor and twirled along to the music being played by the orchestra Gaston had hired.

As the music played, a young girl stepped into the large room, her brown eyes sparkling as they scanned the room, all decked out in red and gold. Chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, cascading down to where the balcony reached, which could only be accessed by climbing a large flight of golden stairs.

The girl smoothed out her dress before further entering the ballroom. Nobody seemed to notice her, at least not that she could tell, but from the corner of the room, the girl caught the eye of one man, his hair pulled back into a ponytail by a fancy band. He uncrossed his arms and made his way over to Gaston, who had just excused himself from the lady he had been dancing with. "Gaston, my friend," the man began, placing a hand on Gaston's shoulder. The host turned to the man, a grin making its way onto his face.

"Vlad," he greeted. "I'm so happy you showed up. I know my invitation arrived last minute, but I'm glad you were able to make it. I'm sorry the invitation didn't arrive sooner." Gaston smiled at the Count, his pearly white teeth practically reflecting the light from the chandeliers.

"It is no problem," the Count replied. "Gaston," Vlad began. "I was wondering, that girl who just walked in," he gestured with his head over to the girl, her dirty blonde hair resting over her shoulders. "Who is she?" He asked, his eyes glued to the beauty. Gaston turned his head to look at the girl in question, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he observed her.

"If I'm correct, that is Elyse Devereaux. She's the daughter of Adam and Louisa Devereaux. Do you remember them from the Halloween ball I threw last year?" Gaston asked, turning back to the Count, whose eyes were glued to the girl. "I remember you spoke briefly to them about your travels, as they were looking into vacationing in the Caribbean." The Count raised an eyebrow, his mind wandering back to last year, trying to wrap his head around the conversation the man spoke of.

"Ah, yes. It sounds familiar," the Count replied. He cleared his throat, straightening himself out and adjusting his posture. "If you'll excuse me." The Count slowly made his way over to the girl, who had found her way to one of the tables that was serving alcohol. The girl didn't normally drink, but it was a special occasion, so she didn't mind, nor did her parents who, despite doing their best to raise their daughter to be perfect, couldn't care less about whether or not she was too young to be drinking.