A flicker of candlelight on spun-gold hair; a carefree grin aimed at the whole crowd and yet only for a mop of curly brown hair. The girl dances in an eerie rhythm only she can hear. The boy, caught by the phantom song too, catches the grey-eyes beauty on a passing step; he expression turns challenging- can you keep up? The boy’s green eyes sparkle with amusement; of course he can keep pace, he thinks. The pace of the music they hear suddenly turns frantic, and they move across the otherwise-empty floor, gold and bronze blurs.

The crowd watches in awed silence as the two figures are abruptly overlaid by images of a pair of specters. The four shapes move fluidly, grace oozing from every motion. As the eyes of the ethereal blonde and striking brunet phantoms lock with their captive- for all intents and purposes- audience, the melody comes from nowhere, like a flicked switch. It is once again at a stately pace, its solemn and sorrowful notes winding around them, ensnaring them. When the spectators move to the dance floor, the first pair exchange smug looks. Then the screaming starts. The green-eyed brunet proffers his arm to his dance partner. “Milady?” The blonde delicately grasps the limb, both gazing, smirking, at the chaos below.

“A Vampire’s Ball. Honestly, silly mortals,” the woman coos as they pass feeding vampire after feeding vampire, “what did you expect?”