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Victor sat there, thoroughly puzzled, but beneath that exterior facade of confusion, he was scheming.
"Have you no heart?" she said at length.
"My heart was sealed away long ago. Yet, your words have managed to pique my curiosity. You say you are not a monster, but you unfortunately cannot change my views, as I cannot change yours about my 'ignorance' of your kind. However, in all this time, to disprove me, you have not even given me your name, to disprove my labelling you as a beast."
"Namine," she said very coldly.
"Very well then, Namine. As I said, you have intrigued me to the point that I am willing to bargain with you."
Her eyebrow rose up and a smirk appeared, clearly amused.
"You say you've never been kissed. I can give you this, but in return, you will give me an honorable fight. Whether one of us dies in the process is unspecified; but, in order for this deal to be completed, neither may harm the other at first. Interested?"

Namine stood there for a moment, eyeing the most curious slayer very carefully. He was attractive, no doubt of that, and he knew exactly what she was looking for, but how could she trust that during that fateful kiss that he would not simply slide a stake into her heart during their embrace.

"Swear on it," she said at last, to the surprise of Victor and herself, "Swear on the love you once felt for your mate from so long ago."
That one caught Victor off guard, his slightly drooping eyes went wide.
Truth be told, Victor had exactly those intentions of slaying her mid-embrace, hoping to use her naievete against her. But the proclamation to keep his word over the former life of his only love had completely derailed that theory.
"Very well then... I swear, on the memory of my beloved Caitlynn, that I will not do you harm until after the deed is done."

With a slight nod, Victor slowly moved towards her, into the moonlight by the window and, unlike his original plan, kept his hands in plain sight. Being nearly a head taller than her, he wrapped his arms around her and bent his neck low. She seemed almost afraid, but stalwart nonetheless. When their lips met, Victor did not taste that same earthy scent that he had felt when he had seduced the vampiress from earlier. It was natural, her skin was not icy and without the warmth of blood.
This does not make any sense...
Their kiss was long and soft but passionate and with feeling that Victor had not experienced in what seemed a life age. When they both reluctantly stepped apart, Victor made no instantaneous move as he had originally planned to, nor did Namine. They just stood there, at arms length, still holding the others' hands.

"Why are you so different..." he echoed again.
"I am what I am," came her response.
He looked into those emerald eyes and saw a flash of Caitlynn in them, causing him to snap out of the trance he believed he was falling into.
"You are the first vampire to ever come into direct contact with me and live," he said as he turned to the balcony, "Take pride in that."

He walked over to the edge of the alcove and peered outside, looking down at the twenty foot fall.
"Victor..."
"I intend to finish this bargain another time, Namine. Don't make me regret it."
With those parting words, Victor leaped into the night air, spreading his cloak to its full length and glided down slowly, dissappearing into the trees and leaving Namine alone in her alcove to her thoughts of all that had just come to pass.

There are humans here, Raoul thought to himself as he walked between the arms and circles of waltzing dancers. He could fair sniff them out in the relative warmth of the halls; their sweat, musky and laced with that vitality that made them so...irresistible to most of his kind...he glanced down into his fresh flute of champagne with concentration in a bid to keep his wandering thoughts focused upon the recent development. Humans at a Red Moon ball...someone was going to great lengths to put predators and their prey within such close proximity, he couldn't help smelling a rat. Only this time he wasn't so sure the humans were the ones being hunted...

And I have made no other plans for the evening. Oh well, I will just have to forbear and not dine at this particular table, Raoul looked up from the glass, mildly startled when a passing figure murmured something to him. He raised a slight eyebrow, his gaze lingering on the departing man. Not human, he quickly decided, turning aside toward the nearest way into the darkness beyond the hall.

"Right, seems I worried for nothing." Alsvid had been sitting on the stairs for quite some time without any sign of a struggle coming from inside the room. "Time to return to the festivities." Alsvid stood up and the end of his long black coat fell gracefully to his ankles. Brushing his hair behind his ears he walked slowly down the stairs.

He returned to the dance floor and was immediately aware that he was being watched. "Haha, truly is meat market." He grabbed yet another glass of wine and decided he would relax with this drink. He made his way to the wall away from the crowd. He noticed that there was another person trying to avoid the crowd, he recognised the cloth she wore and he suddenly felt sorry for her. "This night has been ruined for her through the acts of a careless fiend." He set his glass down on a window sill and made his way over to her.

"I do hope you are not too shaken up by what happened earlier. You seem lonely." the girl wouldn't speak. "I would be honoured if you let me have this dance" he added with a bow.

"Well I do hope I get to hear you speak by the end of the night as I am sure your voice is as enchanting as the rest of you." He linked her arm in his own and led her to the dance floor. "But for now I shall be satisfied with a dance." He could feel that she was getting tense so he drew her in closer. "Don't worry, I assure you that no harm will befall you tonight."

Together they walked to the centre of the dance floor, the girl was hesitant at first. "Trust me," he said, "Everything will be fine." Alsvid held her hand in his own long, slender fingers and placed his other hand on her lower back. "You are easily the most radiant and talented dance partner I have had this evening. I wish you could at least tell me your name, but, if you prefer to remain silent I will respect that."

Namine didn't know what to do. Her mind was a jumble of confusion. Theories, thoughts, ideas crashing into each other within her. Her emotions were in a whirlwind and she wasn't sure wether to be happy,sad, or afraid. She looked over the balcony her mask forgotten. Her eyes roved the ball for Victor. He had left her with the promise. A promise that could mean death for either. Lifting a hand to her face she wiped away the unfamiliar wetness she had not felt since long ago. Suddenly realizing she was without her mask Namine quickly stepped away from view.

Sitting down once more she barraged herself with questions.

"Why did you come to the ball?"
"Did you expect no trouble?"
"Why did you let him in?"
"Why didnt you escape him?"
"Why did you reveal so much of yourself?"
"Why did you agree to the kiss?"

The kiss she thought..I have never been kissed not till tonight. She recalled their embrace and the passion between them. Namine touched her lips, remembering the feeling of his lips upon hers. Her body felt strangely hot. She began to tremble and her heart was reacting strangely. There was a tightening in her chest and she thought for sure she would go into a panic. What should I do now? she thought.

Namine took out a small compact mirror and stared at her reflection. She wiped away the remaining tears. "This could very well be your last night my dear so why not enjoy it" she said aloud. She picked up her mask once more placing it snuggly on her face. She downed the rest of the wine which seemed to help her feel a bit better. Namine took a deep breath and left the alcove hoping to leave thoughts of Victor behind as well. But she knew that he would be in the back of her mind. "What I need is a distraction," she said as she moved to the dance floor. "Someone to make me forget what I've experienced."

Skyler looked listoned to Alsvid careful so she could tell if the meaning of his words where real. He's not lieing... I can see it. She thought as her heart began to pound again. She didn't really care about the whole vampire part, just being attacked made her scared. She turned red when he kissed her cheek. She looked back at him not knowing what to think of this whole thing. Then her mind began to swell with words, outcomes as spoken words finally came to her month. She wanted to speck and now she would.

"Skyler..." She said lightly as she looked down. She kept her feet moving. "Thats my name..." She looked back at him. He seemed happy that she spoke and she smiled. Her word come out sweet, like young childs. "I want to keep dancing, sir."

Namine reached the dance floor. She felt out of place suddenly. Her previous excitement had waned somewhat and she knew she should forget all that happened if she was to enjoy the festivities. Moving onto the floor she received various invitations. She was about to accept one when she noticed the porcelain masked man and the girl who was attacked before. She turned her eyes downward but looked up once more. She realized that the girl had her eyes set on something else. Following her line of vision she noticed it was the vampire from before. Her blood began to boil. How dare he return after what he did!!. Namine readied herself and with all the charm she could exude walked towards the man.

Upon seeing her walk up he stiffened but did not move away.
"I am quite sorry for earlier. I was in a bit of a mood and did not wish to have my identity revealed which would have happened if you had finished off the girl."

"Why are you here?" he hissed at her.

"Because im bored and need some excitement of the supernatural kind." Namine leaned into him suggestively close.

The vampire did not know what to make of it. Finally making up his mind he extended his hand to her. "Then my dear lets reconciliate in privacy."

"Oh yes lets. There are many things I have in mind to do to you" She said lust evident in her words but not from what he thought. They left the ball off to one of the private chambers in the castle.

The vampire ushered Namine into a room making sure to lock it behind him. He removed his mask and came towards her..lust filling his eyes.
He grabbed her shoulders pushing her against a bed post.

"Remove your mask. I want to see your face" He said throatily. His hands roamed her body and she allowed it.

"Ohh..but dont you enjoy the thrill of not knowing who I truly am?"

"I know who you are. Or at least I know you are from house De L' Cor. Yet, I do not know your face..so remove it." He reached up to remove her mask and Namine stayed his hand.

"I shall remove it." She lifted her hand untying the sash that kept the mask on her face.

Upon seeing her face her pulled close and began to trail kisses down her neck. "You are so beautiful. I never expected one with such beauty as yours to hide beneath that mask." His kisses became more fervent more demanding. The entire time Namine was repulsed and disgusted. She did not want his hands upon her or his lips on her flesh. She felt his fangs elongate as he went for the bite.

Namine's emerald eyes flashed turning red and she twirled from him pushing him onto the bed with her strength.

"What the hell?" he said. When he looked up into her eyes he was horrified and tried to kick her off him.

"I vowed I would see you dead for your ignorance." Her fangs elongated, and while restraining him, she bit into his neck. He struggled against her but to no avail as her power was superior to his. As she drained the last of his blood his struggles ceased. Namine stopped and left him on the verge of death. Removing a long ornamental pin from her hair she stabbed him in the heart. All that was left was dust on the coverlets. "I told you my face would be the last you saw." Picking up her mask and placing it on her face once more Namine left the room and headed towards the ball.