Chapter 5

DINNER THAT night was agonizing. It wasn't enough that everyone else appeared to have been advised to go after a high lord or a Prince, they were also mocking the poor oafish Calbert Henton. The other inductees were dining on grilled fish and giant ripe tomatoes, but Vivienne didn't have much of an appetite.

"He looks like the bastard son of a cyclops," the Panther girl said.

"Imagine discovering at the end of the Midnight Masquerade that you're bonded to Calbert Henton!" the Crane girl said. "You would throw yourself into the Anthias Sea."

"How could that be a surprise?" Panther interjected. "Not even the most cleverly designed mask could hide his giant head. You can see that coming from a mile away. He'll be banging it against the chandeliers."

"Hey, look on the bright side," Tiger added, gleefully. "If one of you girls becomes his Orlin, you can buy yourself a giant hat to match with your Ansura. Your parents at home can always find you in a crowd when they snap pictures of parties. My mom would love it."

"Then you take him!" Panther girl joked. "He's all yours."

"Only if Prince Venus absolutely refuses to consider me," Tiger replied. Prince Venus was one of the three Princes up for an Orlin this year. He had broad shoulders and a stocky built. They said that he was so hard-bodied if you tried poking him in the belly you could break your finger. At first, Vivienne thought the part about him being nicknamed Venus was a joke. Then she found out, he actually had a history of ballet dancing in the Manna City production of the Nutcracker before he retired and became a Prince. He was reportedly the oldest of the Princes up for consideration.

The other two were Prince Mercury and Prince Mars. They were all given nicknames by the reporters covering the Pearl Tower gossip because at this point the turnover of Princes was so high, no one bothered to learn their names anymore. They were named after planets this year because the Royal Family were the Sarastris — or the people of the Sun. The planets orbited around them as the Princes protected King Wynn Sarastri.

Although Prince Venus was oldest in age, he was not the one who served the Royal Family the longest. That honor went to Prince Mercury. Reportedly, Prince Mercury was extremely handsome and charming although he did have a reputation of being unable to sleep in the same girl's bed for two nights in a row. Prince Mercury had been a Prince longer than any of the other Princes, and there were reports the King was grooming him for succession. He reportedly refused to consume Nectar because he didn't see how it could improve on perfection.

Lastly, Prince Mars was a mystery. He was the newest member of the royal entourage. He had just shown up on the tabloids earlier this year. Prince Mars gained his nickname because he was rumored to be hostile toward the gossip tabloids and spent most of his time away from the Palace. He was rumored to be a businessman in his spare time and the one photo that existed of him in the outside world was a shot of him covering his face as he left a meeting with a couple of Chinese businessmen. All the Princes were very sought after commodities during the Midnight Masquerade. The girls who gained their favor would have a chance at riches beyond their imagination.

The girls fawned over the idea of becoming Prince Mars' choice, but for once Vivienne felt superior in her knowledge of the royal household. She knew not to waste her time on Prince Mars. He was probably going to pick a male Orlin because his childhood love died tragically. He had never shown any interest in women at all. In fact, considering how camera shy he was, maybe he was especially hideous.

Prince Mercury was a wasteland of a husband, but he would make a very devoted Ansura. That was — as long as his Orlin avoided falling in love with him. Janun had remarked that with Vivienne's lack of interest in men, Prince Mercury could not be a more perfect choice for her.

Unfortunately, Panther girl was also plotting to go after Prince Mercury. Her sister had been one of Prince Mercury's past lovers. She was certain she knew enough about his tastes to dominate his attention during the Midnight Masquerade.

Vivienne left dinner early to head to bed. On her way back to the rooms, she passed the courtyard where Sallen was sitting by herself. She had a stunned expression on her face. Vivienne stopped by and wondered what in the world could be wrong. Sallen's meeting with Lord Henton could not possibly have been worse than Vivienne's.

"Hey," Vivienne asked. "Are you okay?"

Sallen looked up and showed Vivienne a letter she was holding.

"What's that?" Vivienne asked and sat down beside her. "Is it from your parents? Did something happen back home?"

"No," Sallen responded. "Lord Kruther sent me a letter. One of Lord Henton's guards gave it to me. He's interested in me. He wants to meet with me early on during the Midnight Masquerade."

"And?" Vivienne asked. She struggled to recall who Lord Kruther was. Then it occurred to her. He was Lord Morrigan's second in command. That meant he was going to be Lord Morrigan's replacement as the assistant to the King. "You're going to say yes to Lord Kruther?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Sallen asked, her eyes flashing with hope. "He's better than I could have hoped for. I'm so happy; I'm speechless."

"Isn't Lord Kruther a bit bald and greasy?" Vivienne blurted out and then regretted it right away.

"Oh stop it, Vivienne!" Sallen responded defensively. "I think he has a nice smile." Sallen paused and stared at the letter. "I'm two months away from eighteen. It's not like I'm going to land a royal Ansura."

~*~

The day before the Midnight Masquerade, each of the inductees was measured for a mask made of gold lace. The mask was supposed to conceal them from forehead to the tip of their noses. Their faces were to be entirely hidden. This was to ensure that the guests could concentrate on finding the strongest bond instead of simply being attracted to the most beautiful faces. The Ansuras were also masked but in black instead of gold.

Lord Henton was present again to observe the fitting and to ensure everything was going smoothly. After Vivienne was measured for her mask but before she was summoned to the wardrobe room to be measured for her gown, she bumped into Calbert again. His tie was looser today, but his collar was misbuttoned in order to accommodate his neck. He fiddled with it now and then as though it was still too tight. There were beads of sweat forming over his forehead as he paced back and forth in front of the girl's wardrobe room.

"Hey, Calbert," Vivienne said as she approached him in the courtyard. "Making any progress with the girls yet?"

He shook his head. "Why are they all so pretty? My mouth goes dry at the thought of them."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Vivienne replied and gave him her best hearty guy-pat on the back.

"You have a nice voice, but you're weak," Calbert said. "You need to do some push-ups."

"Well, my father is a professor. We can't all be farm boys who are built like bulls."

"That is true," Calbert mused as though she had made a revolutionary observation.

"Hey," Vivienne said as she tugged him to a corner of the courtyard. "Your uncle is a big-shot in this entire Midnight Masquerade business. I'm just curious, what do you know about Nectar. Like, what exactly it is?"

Calbert shrugged. "You're asking the wrong person, my friend. I don't know much about anything."

Vivienne frowned. "All right, how about this, why is that the Princes are constantly disappearing and getting replaced? What is happening to them?"

"Oh," Calbert smiled. "That one I do know. But it's a secret."

"What is a secret among friends?" Vivienne demanded. "I did save your life after all. I'm your best bud. I've been telling all the girls here good things about you. You might just get lucky at the Midnight Masquerade this year."

"Okay," Calbert replied, slowly. "But you have to promise not to tell. The Princes are killed, violently, in a dark place. I've seen it happen."

"What do you mean?" Vivienne demanded. "You've seen it happen? How?"

"I can't tell you any more," Calbert whispered and backed away.

"Wait, come back!" Vivienne demanded. "All right, I won't ask you any more about the Princes. Why don't we go have some snacks?"

Calbert sighed and shook his head. He sat down and stared at the tiles of the courtyard as though he didn't want to make eye contact. "Little buddy," Calbert finally said. "You're so talented but please don't go after Prince Mercury or any of the Princes."

"Why?" Vivienne demanded. "What's wrong with them?"

"Everyone wants to be the most powerful. Not everyone can be. They won't stop drinking the Nectar." Calbert looked up and stared at her with pure fear in his eyes. "It makes them do horrible things."

"Like what?" Vivienne pressed on. "Also, what happens to the Princes when they disappear?"

"There is a place nearby," Calbert said quietly, under his breath. "Where the Princes are sent in to fight demons to protect the Royal Family and the rest of this city. It is a dangerous place, deep underground. I don't know much about it except very few who go there come back alive. If you bind yourself to one of them, maybe they'll make you go there too. Please, don't do it."

~*~

Blake walked surprisingly fast for a boy with a cane. After he died, Vivienne would always dream of him disappearing into the fog of the vampire graveyard. In those dreams, no matter how fast she ran she couldn't catch up with him. But on that day — when he took her to that deserted area outside of River Way — he took her hand in his and helped her along the rocky pathways.

"I come here to be alone," he told her as they came over the hill to the deserted grounds. "I feel understood here, almost as if I belong."

Vivienne looked around and saw only broken columns, fragments of rails, and dead trees. This might have once been a giant outdoor arena of sorts, but now it laid in ruins. Standing there, in those ruins, it was easy to imagine thousands of ghost spectators in the ancient stands. Vivienne walked over to one of the columns and her fingers traced a carving of a winged creature with a beak that had long been worn down by the rain and winds.

A shiver went down her spine as she saw the symbol of a sun carved on another surface. In her imagination, she could see these stones stained with the blood of the fallen, sacrificed to some savage ritual.

"What happened here?" Vivienne asked as she heard Blake approaching her from behind. He walked slowly, and carefully over the broken stones. He didn't like it when she saw him trip so she kept her eyes on the ruins. Although their lives were different, in many ways their desires were the same. He wanted to be treated like he was normal, healthy, like any other boy. He didn't want his servants or teachers to fuss over him. He wanted to go to a place where he could be alone with his imagination. Vivienne understood that, in a way, she too felt like she belonged there among the ruins. "What do these carvings mean?"

"That is a carving of a griffin," Blake said as he took her hand and led her away from the broken columns. "Not quite a dragon but just as ugly. Imagine what this place looked like hundreds of years ago. See those stands? Imagine, it's night and those torches light a blazing circle around you," Blake ordered and then pointed into the far end of the stadium. "You come face to face with a pair of red glowing eyes — vampire's eyes."

"Am I armed?" Vivienne demanded as she picked up a broken shard of rock from the ground. She made a stabbing motion into the air. Then she picked up another rock and held it up in a defensive posture. In her mind's eyes, she could see herself holding two daggers. Or she could be a dragon with two giant fanged teeth. "Can I stab it in the heart?"

Blake chuckled at her weapons and pointed behind her with his free hand. "Fire is the only way to really kill the undead. You need to burn it with one those torches. There isn't enough time. It will reach you before you can reach the stands. The creature moves impossibly fast."

"I have a concealed dagger up my sleeve!" Vivienne said with a happy squeal. "I'll stab it to slow it down." She poked Blake in the side with her imaginary dagger. He bared his teeth at her.

"You only made it angry," he hissed back and caught her by the waist. Her father called Blake the Tuxedo Brat for his impeccable attention to dress and complete disregard for her father's instructions. On that day, Vivienne recalled Blake was wearing just a soft white shirt that felt ridiculously soothing against her cheek. She could feel the warmth of his skin, the sound of his heart beating underneath. It was nearly impossible to think about the terrifying vampires while his arms were around her.

"And where are you while I'm being attacked by vampires?" Vivienne asked.

"I'm sitting in the stands of course," Blake replied with an evil smirk. "Over there," he pointed at the section directly across from them. "In the Thorne Family seats. We have the best view."

"And you're enjoying the view of my death?"

"Of course not, Vivienne. I'm begging them to spare your life." Blake sarcastically as though his plea was far from heartfelt. "Oh well, I'm afraid it's no use. I'll just have to throw myself to the vampires in despair."

"Sounds romantic. My dad would approve."

"My mother would be furious," Blake said with a chuckle. "She would have to invent some wild story to account for my death like she did my father's." Blake untangled himself from her and took a couple of steps to the right. "Look at this, right here. Some warrior did precisely what you did hundreds of years ago." Blake got down on his hands and knees and clawed through the dirt with his fingers. In a matter of minutes, a solid white rock emerged from the ground.

"Blake," Vivienne said as she tugged on his sleeve. "That is a human skull."

"No, not a human skull." Blake cleared away another fist full of dirt and revealed a broken jaw. He tugged a tooth loose and cleaned it with the hem of his shirt. In any other circumstance, she would have been amused to see the famous Blake Thorne getting down and filthy. No one would have believed it if she tried to spread the tale. But Vivienne quickly saw why he was acting so out of character; he showed her a long curved tooth. It was much longer and sharper than that of a human.

"It's a fang," he whispered. "A vampire died here on this very spot."

"What are you going to do with it?"

He smiled. "We're going to keep it and prove it to them. We know the truth." He placed the fang in her palm. "Do you believe me now?"

Vivienne nodded and wrapped her hand around it. Feeling the sharp boney object in her palm, she started to feel cold sweat forming against her palms. She shook her hand to rid herself of that feeling. She didn't want him to complain about her icy fingers again.

"Those monsters killed my father," Blake whispered as though it were a secret and not part of their make-believe. "I will never forget that." He glanced back at her and smiled sadly. "One day, you'll believe me, Vivienne. You'll see."

~*~

Vivienne's nightmares were back. On the night before the Midnight Masquerade, she dreamed of Blake again. They were standing in the vampire graveyard again. He was holding the cameo necklace on the gold chain. He begged her not to throw it away and to remember him. In her darkest dreams, Vivienne promised that she would never forget, that she would kill the vampire responsible for separating them.

She started to wonder if the dream was a sign. Calbert Henton would make a good match for her. He could unwittingly help her find out what happened to Allison. He was too stupid to stop her from using his family to her advantage. Maybe then she could find out the truth that Blake died trying to uncover. There was just the question of the bond. Madame Jayger said that the bond was a meeting of soulmates. When it was right, a simple touch would feel like the joining of spirits. Some have reported it to feel sweet and warm whereas others described it as being like lightning passing through their fingertips. Vivienne just hoped that Calbert's hands weren't as sweaty as his forehead.

On the day of the Midnight Masquerade apart from their masks, each inductee was dressed in a costume of a different color. This was to help the rest of the guests tell them apart. Each of the girls received a different gown from the designers of Manna City. Since the event was often photographed by the media, the gowns were increasingly dramatic every year. As Vivienne was led into the wardrobe room, Madame Kenner told her that Hirak Louis, himself, had designed Vivienne's gown after seeing a picture of her raven black hair and ferocious blue eyes.

"They say the raven is a keeper of secrets," Hirak Louis wrote to her. "Perhaps your secret is that you are not actually a raven but a Phoenix."

Her gown was pure black, trimmed with black feathers around the collar. Wearing it, Vivienne felt as though she was transformed into a dark swan. With every step, the gown moved like the flapping of magnificent black wings. Her arms were covered with black lace that ended at her wrist. Her silver chain stood out sharply, glittering with every swing of her arms.

Taking pictures of the inductees was forbidden, but they always leaked out. Thankfully, the attention normally died down after the Midnight Masquerade. But in the days leading up to the grand ball, the coverage reached a kind of a frenzy.

In the wardrobe room, they brought Vivienne florescent contacts for her eyes. The contacts were meant to disguise her true eye color so she could not be recognized. They painted her nails with gold and stuck precious jewels on her fingertips.

Before departing for the ball, each of the inductees was given a long silver chain. It was the counterpart to the bracelet they were given on the first day. The silver chain was for their new Ansura to wear around their neck to denote that they had found an Orlin. The inductees were told to wrap it around their chosen Ansura's hand and to clasp hands. If the bond was successful, the chain would turn gold.

There would be eight dances total at the ball. The first four were for the Orlin and lower aristocrats only. The last four included the more elusive high lords and princes as well. An Ansura made an offer to dance by offering his right hand. An offer to form a bond was made by additionally placing his left hand on top of the Orlin's hand. If the offer was accepted the Orlin would wrap the silver chain around their clasped hands. If the offer was refused, the Orlin could simply withdraw and seek another dancing partner.

Madame Jyger told them to choose carefully. The bond, once formed, could not be reversed. Also, to refuse even more carefully, an offer would be made only once.

Vivienne found Sallen outside of the grand ballroom where the guests had already begun to arrive. Vivienne was finding it hard to see out of her translucent contacts and with the gold mask on top, but Sallen was easiest to find as she was wearing her platform shoes again.

"You look beautiful," Vivienne remarked as a peace offering for calling her future Ansura greasy and bald. Sallen was wearing a pine green gown trimmed with pink fur sleeves. Over her cheeks, they had painted swirls of silver flourishes decorated with diamonds. Vivienne