Forest.
That's all I see ahead of me... dark trees, thick shadows, and the faint glow of moonlight on branches. The night is colder than I expected, and I pull my red gown up slightly so I don't trip over it. I spent half the afternoon tailoring this stupid thing to fit me right, and I'll be damned if it gets caught on a thorn before I even reach the Masquerade.
The gown is simple but bold... deep red, fitted at the waist, a slit up my right leg because I'm not about to walk through a forest in a tight skirt. I paired it with black boots instead of heels; Zeino would probably laugh at me, but I like having ankles that actually work.
The mask is tucked under my arm, the one I stole from that old fortune-teller. I still feel a pinch of guilt, but honestly? She practically asked for it by being cryptic and dramatic.
The path gets narrower, and for a moment, I stop walking.
I think about everything... my sister, the last year, the secrets, the council, the things my dad never tells me. If she's somewhere inside the Masquerade… or if she was taken… or worse—
I shake my head. No. I'm not giving up before I even start.
I walk until I reach a clearing.
And there it is.
The gate.
Huge, dark, impossible. Like someone dropped a whole castle's entrance in the middle of the forest.
"Okay," I whisper to myself. "That's… bigger than I thought."
It must be at least three stories tall, made of black iron twisted like vines. Red symbols glow faintly across the surface, not overly magical, but enough to make my skin prickle.
I step closer. The scent of roses and iron hits me hard, and the air feels warm even though it's the middle of the night.
My heart is beating fast... too fast.
This is it.
No turning back.
I take a deep breath and pull my mask on.
For a moment, nothing happens. Just silence.
Then—
A thin red beam of light sweeps down from the top of the gate, sliding over my face. It scans the mask like some futuristic security device, humming faintly.
My throat tightens.
If this thing rejects me—
The beam pauses. I swear my heart stops.
Then a voice... smooth, mechanical, but strangely welcoming... speaks:
"Invited. The gate will open. Welcome to Crimson Masquerade."
The metal shifts, unlocking with a huge, echoing groan. The gates part slowly, revealing a pathway inside. Light spills out... warm gold mixed with faint red, and music floats through, echoing faintly.
"This is actually happening," I whisper.
I step through the gate.
Just like that, the forest is behind me.
The entrance path is lined with floating lanterns shaped like roses and crystals. The ground isn't dirt anymore—it's polished black marble. People walk past me, most of them in masks, gowns, or sleek suits: humans and vampires both.
Modern. Elegant.
Less "ancient cursed ballroom," more "exclusive billionaire party with supernatural guests."
A couple walk by me... both humans judging by their energy. The girl looks younger than me, probably 18 or 19, pretty mask decorated with blue feathers.
"Woah, your dress is gorgeous," she whispers when she sees me.
I blink, surprised. "Oh… thank you. Yours too."
Her boyfriend nudges her. "Come on, Kai. We're gonna miss the opening dance."
They hurry off. I swallow hard. If humans are here casually, maybe I won't stand out too much.
A man in a suit passes me next. He has pale skin, silver eyes, and a half-smile that feels too sharp. Vampire. Definitely.
"You're new," he says casually as he walks by.
I stiffen. "Is it obvious?"
"Only to those who pay attention," he responds before disappearing into the crowd.
Great. Amazing. Fantastic. I'm already suspicious-looking.
I keep walking, breathing slowly to stay calm.
The courtyard opens up into a grand space filled with hundreds of guests. There are food tables, floating drinks, musicians playing on a levitating platform, and a fountain in the center that glows faintly red. Crowds gather around, laughing, chatting, flirting.
It almost feels… normal.
Until you look closely.
Some people move too smoothly. Some people don't blink. Some have eyes that glow faintly when the light hits right.
Vampires. Everywhere. Mixing with humans like it's nothing.
No wonder the town whispers about this place.
A server passes by holding a tray of blood-red drinks. I shake my head quickly.
"No, thank you."
He smiles. "It's fruit punch. Not what you're thinking."
"Oh."
I take a glass. It really is fruit punch. Sweet. Tart. Probably spiked, but whatever.
As I sip, two girls near me whisper loudly:
"Did you hear the rumor?"
"What rumor?"
"A human came last year pretending to be a invited. She never made it out."
The other girl's eyes widen. "Seriously? What happened to her?"
"No one knows. They say the Masquerade swallowed her whole."
My stomach twists.
I force myself to keep walking. Don't listen. Don't panic.
Focus.
I came here for a reason. I came here for her.
I'm still trying to figure out where to go next... left staircase or right... when someone suddenly steps right into my path.
I stop so fast my boots skid on the marble.
A man... tall, annoyingly tall... blocks my way like he owns the entire ballroom. His suit is dark and perfectly fitted, his hair tied back loosely with a few strands framing sharp cheekbones. His mask is simple: matte black with a thin line of silver.
But his eyes—
They're bright red at first.
Then, as he looks at me longer, they shift.
Red → darker red → black.
And then an even deeper black, like ink swallowing color.
It's not normal. Not even vampire-normal.
My breath catches. What the hell?
He studies me again. First my mask
.. dark red lace, stolen from a fortune teller's shop. Then my gown... deep red, simple, practical enough for walking the forest. Then my face.
"Who gave you your invitation?" he asks.
I freeze.
He sees it.
His smirk grows a millimeter. "You hesitated."
"I… didn't," I lie.
"You did."
Wow. He's annoying.
"I'm not interrogating you," he says, even though he definitely is.
"I'm just trying to understand how a human girl managed to slip past the Masquerade's security."
"Human girl?" I echo. "I'm twenty."
"Right," he says, dry. "A human girl."
My hands curl into fists. "I'm not a girl."
"You're acting like one."
I glare up at him. "You don't even know me."
He leans down slightly, meeting my eyes through our masks.
"And you don't know where you're standing."
He straightens again, expression returning to its default: bored, slightly irritated, and way too handsome for his own good.
"What's your name?" he asks.
"…Why?"
"So I can put something on your tombstone if you cause chaos later."
He stares at me again... longer this time. His eyes slowly lighten, black → dark red, as if something in him recalibrates.
"I'm not going to— you know what, forget it." I exhale sharply. "Icel. My name is Icel."
He repeats it softly.
"Icel."
Hearing my name in his low voice sends a weird shiver down my spine.
Then he adds, completely unimpressed,
"Well, Icel, try not to die. It'd be inconvenient."
"What kind of— why would it be inconvenient for you?" I demand.
"Because I don't like paperwork," he says flatly.
"And because if a human dies on my watch, I have to file a report."
"Your watch?" I echo. "Who even are you?"
He steps aside, finally giving me space to move.
"I am Kreios."
He doesn't need to explain anything else. That name spreads through the hall behind me... whispers, glances, sudden hushes. Some vampires even avoid looking directly at him.
And he knows it.
His eyes flick down to my lips, then to my mask.
I suddenly feel naked under all the silk and lace.
Before I can respond, another voice interrupts... smooth, warm, and slightly amused.
"Kreios, stop scaring the new guests."
Kreios.
So that's really his name.
He steps aside slightly, and someone else approaches... another vampire, but his energy feels calmer. He's tall too, with messy blond hair and a white suit that should look ridiculous but somehow doesn't.
He smiles lightly at me. "Sorry about him. He really likes to test people."
Kreios doesn't deny it. He just crossed her arms and bored looking at us.
I let out a breath. "It's… fine. I think."
The blond vampire offers his hand. "I'm Andrei."
I hesitate before shaking it. "Icel."
"Pretty name." He glances at my mask. "And a pretty mask."
My heart stops for a second. Did he recognize it?
He doesn't push it further. "Well, welcome. If you need anything, ask any of the attendants. And try not to wander into the restricted wings. Humans tend to… not enjoy what happens there."
"Good to know," I say quietly.
Kreios speaks again, tone unreadable. "Don't disappear."
It sounds like a warning. Or a command. Or both.
He walks away without waiting for my reaction, Andrei following him with an apologetic shrug.
I stand there, palms sweaty, pulse racing.
This place is beautiful. And dangerous. And overwhelming.
But now I know one thing for sure:
My sister was here.
And someone in this crowd knows what happened.
I tighten my grip on my cloak.
"Okay," I whisper to myself. "Let's find her."
And with that, I step deeper into the Masquerade.