Senpai Notice Me Reboot

"No, there are plenty of crepe places that serve them all day throughout London," Adrian didn't look over at Caden. Instead he continued to stare into the blank space in front of him. If he looked over at Cadens smile, his heart would melt again.
And again.
And again.
He needed to stop this. He was basically his brother and yet... Caden liked Katja. This was like something dumb you only read in books or saw in movies.
"Where were you?" Adrian asked once Katja squeaked excitedly. "It's odd that you were out so early... even though 9:00 really isn't early."
He shifted in his seat, shoving his hands between his legs, his stare not wavering. Knowing her she probably tried to find that guy or some evidence as to if Hans was okay or not.
Before she had a chance to answer he stood up and stretched towards the ceiling, still keeping his eyes far from either of theirs. "Actually I don't care. You'll probably lie about what you were up to. So I'll believe you were at Foils (a bookstore) or that you went for a nice walk along the Thames."
He considered heading to his room, but what was the point? He'd do nothing in there too.

"But your crepes are the best," Caden whined as he sat up on the couch, looking at Katja for a moment as she stuffed her face with crepes, "Even Katja agrees. Have you ever considered opening your own restaurant?" He asked curiously. He was going to ask where Katja was but Adrian seemed to have taken over that conversation and he knew Katja was still mad at him for messing up the mission from yesterday. He probably wouldn't have gotten an answer out of her anyways. "I think you should call it Caden's."

"That's a stupid name for a restaurant," Katja muttered under her breath but loud enough for Adrian to hear. "I was actually taking a walk at Terrace Gardens," she answered Adrian looking up at him but he wasn't even looking at her. "It's a really nice place for a morning walk and there's this cafe there that serves some pretty good hot chocolate but I'm pretty sure your crepes are better than anything else they have on the menu," she grinned as she went back to her stack.

"My name isn't Caden so it seems unintelligible to call it 'Caden's'," Adrian sat back down, a frown etching it's way onto his face. He knew they were just complimenting his cooking because they didn't want to spend money on premade food, nor could they make their own.
"Anyone know where Roman went? He played his disappearing act again. I'd rather have him tell at us now opposed to later." He also needed to ask him again if he could stop this bull and actually try to go somewhere in life... And get away from these two. Together they were a buffoons who couldn't get anything done.
Without realizing it he had begun to twiddle his thumbs and bite his lower lip. His heart rate was beginning to pick up, and he could swear his palms were getting sweaty.
There was no reason for this.
He squeezed his eyes shut and took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly.
"If I ever open a restaurant it'll be somewhere in France. Not here." He didn't feel at home in England, nor with the man he called father.
He was more of a mystery than anything else.

Katja stopped mid chewing and looked up at Adrian and noticed he was a little off. She swallowed what was in her mouth and stood up from her seat and strolled towards the fridge. She reached in and grabbed a bottle of water and walked over to him, extending the bottle towards Adrian, "You should take a seat," she spoke softly as she placed a hand on his arm. She wasn't sure why Adrian was starting to get anxious but she was able to pick up on it since they were raised together as kids. "Roman actually texted me on the way back here that he had something to tell us. Something about an event."

"You're right. There's a ball tonight hosted by a dear friend of mine. I'm not going to force you to go but it'd be very much appreciated if you were present." Roman had stepped into the apartment without any of them noticing. He was sneaky like that. He stood there, hands behind his back in a pair of dark washed jeans a plain black sweater that pressed against his body enough to flatter his figure. His sapphire blue eyes hide behind his wavy salt and pepper hair. "It's a masquerade ball. Some of you might appreciate this more than others but consider this as an apology for making you work last night even though I said it was a day off. This is a way for you kids to have fun for the night. If you'd like of course," he repeated. He wanted to give them the option to choose as he never really liked to force them to do anything except for missions. However, he really did wish to see them attend the ball with him. It was important that they got to know the different vampires, especially the higher up ones so they knew who they were working with.

Katja's eyes beamed at the mention of the event. She may not have enjoyed clubs that much but she loved to dress up every once in a while. Growing up with boys and having to do all these missions, it was nice to feel dress up and feel like a princess every once in a while. "I'm in!" She raised a fist to the ceiling enthusiastically.

"Isn't this a bit late to be telling us?" Adrian furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't have anything to wear to some fancy party like that anyway. Do we even know this friend?" He inched away from Katja's grasp. "Why didn't you tell us about this sooner?"
He was bombarding Roman with questions but he didn't care. They were all reasonable to ask.
"I'm pretty sure Caden doesn't have anything either." Then again, he may but Adrian was going to make assumptions anyway. What in the world could Katja have either?

Elsewhere, Ace was seated at a table with his father, Maxwell. He wore a navy blue sweater vest over a white button up shirt and gray tie. His hair was brushed to the side, his soul patch and chin goatee well trimmed. He had two hands guns holstered on his utility belt along with several knives.
He handed Ace a card. "You're to enter through the side gate. Show the doorman this invitation and you'll be let in. Look for Roman. Everyone will be wearing masks, including yourself. I have a suit set up for you, and you can use whatever mask you own, except of course the ones you've used while hunting."
He paused and smiled at Ace. "I'm proud of you, you know."
Ace nodded as he took the card and slipped it into his pocket. "You tell me all the time and it pleases me that I have been able to not only meet, but exceed your expectations. Anyone else you want me to get rid of?"
Maxwell returned the nod. "The hosts son. The host is Lutz. He has four sons, you'll have to figure out which one is Reiner, the eldest, and Vinzenz, the youngest. They'll all be dressed the same, color and everything. Take Reiner alive, and kill Vinzenz. If you can kill the other two as well but don't worry about it. There will be other hunters there as well so do not fret. If anything bad happens, you'll have back up. This sound good to you?"

Ace beamed. "Absolutely! It's so much better than what I would be doing otherwise."

"Perfect," Maxwell said and stood up, extending his hand. "Now let's go get ready to fuck some shut up."

"I have a friend who works at a tailor just a couple of blocks from here. I have spoken with him and you three are free to go and pick whatever you'd like to wear. They specialize in balls and other special occasions. The cost has been completely covered," he nodded to himself, "As for the friend, you have not met him but this will be a great opportunity for you to. He goes by Lutz. It's nothing to stress yourself over son." A worrying frown appeared on Roman's face, "As I said, if you do not feel up for the occasion then you are not obliged to attend."

Katja looked up at Adrian with a slight pout, "But it'll be fun if we all go. Come with us Adrian! I'd rather go as a group than just me and Caden," she turned to the lazy potato with a frown, "It'll be interesting to see you all dressed up and classy," she teased. "I wonder if there will be a vigilante there in disguise," she gushed with a fangirl sigh. She was met with blank stares from Caden who took the effort to look at her and Roman who just shook his head slightly in shame. "What? I was kidding," she mumbled as she slipped out of her seat, "Let's go pick out our outfits!"

This felt like a video game. In fact, it felt like Lady Boyle's Las Party in Dishonored. Elegant clothing reminiscent of England's golden days, fancy music, wine, champagne, and spirits with a dash of death. Hell, he even had to figure out which sibling were his assigned targets.
There was free time before he had to meet up with Tyler and Maxwell, among other hunters, so he decided to treat himself. His hair was freshly cut and slicked back, several of his bangs protesting and hung forward.
With a little help from Maxwell, he was in his suit, tails and everything.
"I look pretty damn fine if I do say so myself," he smiled and eyed himself as he readjusted his tie. He had worn suits before, but they never had the fancy tails, nor had he accompanied the suit with a sweater vest.

He exited his dressing room and made his way into the lobby. Tyler was standing there, looking as fine as ever. Due to circumstances she looked better than usual.
He stopped in front of her and placed a hand on her cheek. "You look amazing, your dress is stunning." Ace retracted his hand and turned his attention to Maxwell.
"Is everyone ready?" He asked.
Maxwell nodded. He took a step forward and readjusted Ace's tie. "You clean up well, you should dress up more often."
"Nah," Ace said returned his tie back to the slightly crooked position it sat in before. "I do agree I look pretty damn fine but it is way too much effort to go through this daily."

All the hunters, about 10 in total, were now pooled in the room.
Maxwell covered the rules:
1. Don't attack any of the vampires out in the open. That's asking to die. If you figured out the identity of one of the children, message the group.
2. Once your target(s) have been found, find the hunter who relayed the information and do your best to get them out of sight.
3. Should the party go to shit, get the hell out of there.
4. The eldest son enjoys music, especially of the classical variety. He enjoys fine wine and champagne, hate beer. He is the most likely to be on the dance floor. Not a fan of human food. The second youngest enjoys sports and loves the ladies. Least likely to be on the dance floor. The third son is the shortest. He was sent off as a child for prep school and has a rather thick German accent. The youngest doesn't drink, is none to fond of blood, is extremely polite, and bashful, and has a thing for political debate.

Ace wasn't paying much attention during the speech. His eyes kept wandering over to look at Tyler. She was absolutely gorgeous tonight. He'd very much like to take her hand and dance with her tonight, perhaps chat for a bit over a little champagne and whatever nice food would be served, and lightly kiss those tender lips of hers.
He wasn't sure why he liked her so much, but he did. While she certainly didn't need saving, something deep inside him wanted to ensure she was safe and sound.
Just before exiting the building he lightly punched her shoulder. "Ready, Princess?" He asked, his lip curling playfully. "Remember to play by the rules, I'd hate for something to happen to you." He planted a small kiss on her cheek before walking away without another word.

Wow, this is amazing," Katja whispered in awe as they entered the ballroom that was adorned with chandeliers suspended from the high ceiling, indoor trees planted all around the sides of the ballroom with fairy lights wrapping around its branches, and the lights were dimmed at a perfect level. The dance floor was flooded with swarms of people dressed in beautiful gowns and tidied up suits.



"This is so beautiful," Katja continued as she turned to the guys at her side, "And you wanted to skip out on this," she teased Adrian and then poked the both of them, "You both owe me a dance!" She ordered with a grin as she turned back to the scenery in front of her. She didn't even know if she would dance with anyone else other than the guys but it didn't matter to her. Absolutely nothing could possibly ruin this night.

“Ah, you guys made it,” Roman approached them all dressed up handsomely with a plain black masquerade mask of his own, “You look beautiful,” he smiled kindly at Katja as he leaned in to give his daughter a kiss on the cheek then pulled away to look at the guys, “You guys look very handsome as well. I’m glad you guys came. Let me introduce you to my good friend Lutz,” he said as he turned to look to a man around his age behind him, “Lutz, these are my children; Katja, Adrian and Caden,” he introduced then turned to the group, “This is my dear friend Lutz, the host of this exquisite event.”


Tyler grinned and smacked Ace back on the shoulder, “I’m more like Black Widow if you ask me,” she stated, posing with her hands on her hips. “I’m only here for the real fun,” she continued as she twirled a small knife in her hand. Her silver white hair was done in a fancy updo she had done at a salon before this. She wasn’t really open about her feminine side so she kept her girly excitement to herself when she found out she would be dressing up and going to this beautiful extravagant ball with Ace.

Ace was a confusing situation. No doubt he was very attractive and any girl would be extremely lucky to have a guy like them in their life. Actually, any person would be lucky to have Ace in their lives. He was an amazing brother, friend and possible crush? She knew he cared for her a lot and she did too but she wasn’t sure if she cared about Ace the same way. Relationships and all that kind of stuff was never her thing so whenever he did stuff like kiss on her cheek, she’d just smile and go along with it and that’s exactly what she did now. Figuring out her feelings had to be done at another time and place. Right now, she just wanted to have fun with the hunt.

This sucked, and was exactly what Adrian was expecting.He had decided on a grey wolf mask, accompanied by a standard black and white tuxedo.
A bunch of really rich, most likely stuck up people, all in masks playing some dumb game of "guess the sibling."
At the very least, the room was extremely aromatic. That meant the food had to be good. Not everyone here was a vampire so they had to accommodate for the others. That being said, there was a chance nothing would be vegetarian so he would be met with disappointment anyway.
Once Roman approached the group, Adrian let out a small sigh. How convenient. He didn't need to look through the crowd to find them, he somehow knew where they were despite the fact this room was practically swimming with people.
Adrian put on his best smile. "Hello, nice to meet you," he wasn't sure if it was alright to extend his hand in greeting or not, so instead, he placed his hands behind his back, one clasped into the other. "Thank you for inviting us."

The man before them, Lutz, that's what Roman had called him, right? He really did "look" like a vampire. If he was stuck in any Victorian era vampire based story, he would fit in perfectly. Hell, he was more or less that dark, emo, everything-is-terrible sort of look. His eyes were outlined in black, his clothing was all black-- a mixture of leather and wool. His hair was an undercut, slicked back to fit the theme.
"It's nice to meet you," Lutz put on a toothy smile. It surprised Adrian that he couldn't see any fangs. "Roman has spoken well about all of you."

Adrian didn't believe that. Whenever you met someone who was friends with your legal guardian, parent, caregiver, whatever they may be, you were always told that there were good things to say. Adrian could not think of anything good that Roman would have to say about him. Pain in the ass, French, not-smart-but-not-dumb, so average... a good cook. That was all there really was to say about Adrian.

Once the formalities were done, Adrian tapped on Caden's shoulder. "Would you be at all interested in getting something to eat?" He wanted to talk to Caden in private... without Katja... but that probably wasn't going to happen. He wasn't going to say it either. At some point tonight she would probably be swept off her feet by some masked beauty... and Adrian would be wishing he was at home in bed instead of here.

Lutz was picking up on the nervousness from Adrian. The smile seemed forced, and he instantly went into a protective stance. He couldn't blame the kid. He wasn't the most normal looking person in the world... but that probably wasn't it. It was more likely that Adrian was nervous because they had never met, and perhaps he did not want to even be here to begin with.
It didn't take long for the formalities to be done.
(I am about to make an assumption. If this assumption holds no ground, ignore it)
"So... would you like to go to a quieter place?" Lutz asked Roman as the two began to meander away from Roman's children. "No one is allowed upstairs, so we could have our conversation there. You seem awfully uneasy as of late. Has something been bothering you? Perhaps there is something you need to tell me?" He paused and eyed the persons within ear range. "Keep your eye out tonight, alright? Considering this party is so large, I will not be surprised if a hunter... or two... or three... or perhaps more, manage to find their way into this party tonight. In fact, I'm hoping they will so that we can snuff a few of them out."
He continued to walk once more, his pace slow and steady. "Namely Maxwell, and that kid of his. Ace? I think that is his name. He became a huge problem incredibly fast. In the past two or three years he's killed more vampires than many of the seasoned hunters. Did your children manage to get any tabs on him yet?"

Lutz was spot on.
This is so amazing! Ace thought to himself, a smirk creeping up onto his face. His mask had a orange swirly on the lower right side, the left side open so that he could eat or drink. Up on the top where his eyes were, there was an upside down smiley face with a tongue sticking out. He thought it was pretty creative.
He nudged Tyler as they entered the building. "Black Widow, this is pretty cool, huh? Despite everything, I have to say I am very impressed. How about you?" He paused and looked around. "This should be a fun guessing game. Sniff out the right sibling... at least two of them should be easy, no?"
It didn't really matter to him. He was a natural in these kind of situations. It was much like a club, just a group of much higher class persons and culture. Maxwell had taught him well, and he would be proud tonight.
Tyler was taking too long to respond so he turned to her once more. "I'm going to go back outside, see what I can see and who I can meet, alright? Then I'll come back in here a little later so that I can play the game, alright?" Perhaps he could find some useful information upstairs in the rooms. This building was huge, so there was no way he couldn't find some useful insight up there.

Katja did a swift curtsy with a childish grin on her face. This was all just too exciting for her and it was so formal and she loved it. Katja got excited over the little things and while this wasn’t little, this wasn’t something that happened everyday. “It’s nice to meet you and thank you for inviting us to this beautiful event,” she complimented. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Caden simply bobbing his head in appreciating but not really saying anything. Some manners. She assumed he was thinking about the food right now and she couldn’t really blame him. The aroma filled the room and if this wasn’t such a formal event, Katja would’ve been drooling.

After the greetings, Roman’s smile dropped as he retreated with Lutz. “It’s the kids and the hunters. You would think after being raised together, they’d have such great chemistry and no problems,” he commented, his hands behind his back, his head down as they made their way to the grand staircase to make their way upstairs. “They each have incredible potential but together, they are slacking greatly. At this point, I’m not sure how to handle it. For God’s sake, they grew up together. They only ever had each other. They aren’t able to go against the hunters even in simple missions. I’m worried about the vampires they’re failing and will probably fail in the future but also about them. The hunters are only going to grow stronger and for once, I actually have no idea what to do,” Roman said with a small smile on his face. “My apologies old friend for bringing this issue upon you on this beautiful event. I’m simply conflicted. They’ve encountered Ace and he’s the one who seems to be giving them problems. Katja encountering him again could lead to something incredible happening or something destructive which only adds on to my worries. Neither of them have any recollection of their past but I’m sensing something might be already happening,” Roman’s lips tightened as the image of Katja and Ace in the park came to mind. He hadn’t intended to track Katja but while tracking the vampire from the night before, he got sidetracked. (This is assuming we’re still following some of the previous RP where they have a past together since we wanted to bring Axel back into the picture)

Airhead Caden turned to Adrian as he began to offer food and nodded. Without another word, he grabbed Adrian’s arm and dragged him towards the buffet leaving Katja alone. When it came to Caden, food always comes first. “I bet your food is better though,” Caden quickly complimented as he snatched a plate from the stack. “I’m just really hungry and it would be rude not to try out all this food. I’m pretty sure most of attendance can’t have regular food so we better help out! We wouldn’t want all of this food to go to waste,” he continued unnecessarily as he handed Adrian a plate. “Plus, I’d rather eat than dance. Katja’s going to be nagging us until she gets us to dance with her. These places are too fancy for me but the food never disappoints. Like I said though, your food is probably 10 times better.”

Katja watched as the boys ran off to the buffet and rolled her eyes. Boys. She’d just have to figure out how to enjoy her time without them. She would not let this gorgeous dress go to waste. She was determined to get a dance. However, her introverted side would prove to make that difficult as she wasn’t really the best at walking up to people she didn’t know. With a slight sigh, she grabbed a glass of whatever drink the server had on his tray and made her way to one of the tables that circles the dance floors. She chose a table near the staircase so when Roman came back down, she could maybe get a dance with him. Her lips twisted in disgust when she took a sip out of her glass. Of course it would be wine. Part of her knew it would be wine but part of her wished it wasn’t. Why did alcohol have to be involved in every social event? She avoided alcohol at all costs because the taste didn’t appeal to her at all and her being a lightweight doesn’t help the situation either. She preferred to have fun without being intoxicated. Well, guess she just had to watch everyone dance as she waited for Roman to come back down.

"Vampires can have regular food Caden," Adrian tried his best to release his arm from Caden's grip but it was futile. Hell, Caden probably didn't even notice that Adrian was attempting to free his arm.
While Caden was busy picking up a little bit of this and a little bit of that, Adrian was left staring at the food, unsure of what he could have. There were all sorts of meats-- Adrian couldn't possibly name them all. He knew he could have the cheese and crackers, but he was in the process of giving up dairy as well, so that wasn't really an option either. The salad appeared to have shredded cheeses in it as well.
So much for the last resort option.
Since there didn't seem to be much else, Adrian selected various pieces of fruit and vegetables. Blood oranges, strawberries, melon, dragonfruit, carrots, broccoli, peppers, and others, along with a fair sized dollop of roasted red pepper hummus.
As Caden continued to compliment Adrian's cooking, his stomach rolled. An image of himself with one of his hands rested on Caden's cheek, the other entwined in his hair, their lips connected and eyes closed, flashed through his brain.
I gotta stop that. He's my brother, Adrian thought, shaking his head. No he isn't. You've never viewed Caden as your brother any more than you've viewed Katja as your sister or Roman your father. They're family yes, but it's not like you're related. Good friends can be family too, another voice whispered.
"It's gotta be the noise," Adrian whispered to himself as he turned to Caden. "This room is loud, would you mind if we went somewhere more... secluded to eat? Plus we might just get in the way of everyone dancing."
Caden's yes did not come as a surprise. Adrian picked a remote, quaint love seat up against a wall, seated behind a small coffee table.
Every second that passed seemed to take forever. He could smell Caden's cologne, his hair was whispy and whimsical, he was just...
Adrian leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, head rested in his hands. Stop! Stop stop stop stop stop! Nothing will happen. Stop! He doesn't even--
"Caden?" His breath was shaky, his arms trembling as he folded them in his lap and looked over at Caden, waiting for a moment where he was done eating, his full attention on Adrian. "I need to tell you something."

"Being concerned is understandable. However, none of your kids are vampires. As bigoted as the sect of vampires in London are, they don't normally kill humans." Lutz paused to unlock one of the upstairs doors. He gestured for Roman to enter. It was a small room with an unlit fireplace, an old painted picture of Lutz, and several comfortable arm chairs. "Pick a seat," Lutz continued. "Ace may use her to find sheltered vampires, which is quite the problem. You can't stop her from dating him if they do decide to become an item. She's a grown woman and can make her own decisions."
Lutz chose a chair directly opposite of Roman. "I honestly believe you should be more worried about Severi. He's that Finnish vampire that is known for also eating the flesh of people. It's a pity that in all the time he's been out, Suru hasn't been able to find him. You'd think a soul as old as him would be able to find one vampire... but alas no one else has been able to either."
Lutz cleared his throat. "Excuse my ranting. He's in London now. How? I don't know. I intend on meeting with Suru in the near future. London narrows down his area greatly but... there are so many people here that is an issue. Your children are no exception." He paused and looked to the door. "Would you like any wine or champagne? The conversation is quite dark, but maybe something sweet could lighten the mood."

Ace's plan wasn't going terribly well. There did not seem to be any way to get up to the balcony without the help of some inhuman power, or a grappling hook.
He technically had one of the two, but he wasn't sure if he was willing to use another card in his deck. These decks were expensive, risky, and he never really knew what he could pull out of it.
The guards were also a problem. There was enough of them that even if he could get up there, it would be hard to do without being seen.
He would abandon the mission for now and see if he could find a way upstairs from the inside.
"It was a failure," Ace said to Tyler as he reentered the building. "I'm going to look elsewhere for now. You're a smart girl and know what you're doing, go see if you can find something or someone. Or, just have a nice time. We have the whole night." He gave her another kiss on the cheek before sinking into the crowd.
He spotted Katja, not knowing it was her, sitting all on her own. Perhaps she knew something about Lutz, or at least some sort of useful information.
"What a waste of a beautiful dress," Ace said as he approached her from behind. "A lady should never have to sit by her lonesome. Are you waiting on someone, or would you care for a dance, or some company?" He extended a hand, throwing on a coquettish grin.

“That never made sense to me,” Caden admitted as he filled his plates with all the delicious food in sight. “Well I guess it kind of does but I don’t know,” he shrugged. “As long as I get to enjoy this food, anyone else is free to enjoy this food as well,” he decided then turned to Adrian as he asked about sitting elsewhere. “Yeah, I don’t mind! I don’t need Katja picking off my plate and it is kind of loud out there.” He followed Adrian to the loveseat not thinking twice about it as he plopped down with his plate on his lap. “Man, as much as I love the fancy food, nothing beats just playing video games at home and kicking your ass,” Caden commented as he turned to Adrian noticing his head rested on his hands while his elbows were on his knees. “You’re not going to eat?” He was about to ask curiously when Adrian uttered his name. He caught onto his shaky tone and frowned slightly, “Are you cold? Do you want to go back inside? Is it the food? Is there something on my face?” He watched Adrian curiously waiting for an answer from him.

“I’m more concerned for her safety. Yes you’re right about him possibly using her but the idea wouldn’t bode well for some vampires,” Roman sighed slightly as he took a seat in one of the arm chairs, “They grow old so fast. Maybe I’m just slightly paranoid.”
He turned to the fireless fireplace in thought, “Have there been any attacks by him?” He asked curiously, “Surely if there were, there would be a narrower area of where to search for him.” Roman nodded at his wine offer and sighed once again, “It would be nice to have the hunters’ help for this one but I highly doubt they’d be a match for him either.”

Boredom began settling in Katja as people continued to dance and laugh and chat while she sat with a full glass of wine by her side. It was entertaining to watch everyone have fun for a while but she wanted to dance too. Some brothers, she mumbled in her head resting her cheek on her propped up arm. Was one dance too much to ask for?
“What a waste of a beautiful dress.”
Katja turned towards the voice as Ace stood in front of her holding out his hand for her. A dance? From a mysterious stranger? Who happened to have a really attractive voice. Excitement filled her eyes as she placed his hand in his, “I’d love a dance,” she replied, trying to contain her excitement in her tone.

Tyler stepped into the ballroom observing the crowd. Ace wasn’t able to find any information and she was getting bored just waiting around. Maybe she could entice someone to give her the information she needed. Although, a vampire would know she was simply a human so she’d have to be smart about what kind of information she asked for. Her eyes landed on Ace who seemed to be offering a girl a dance. Her eyes narrowed slightly at the sight hoping this was for the mission’s sake and it wasn’t just him fooling around. If he wanted to dance, he could’ve danced with her. She wouldn’t have said no to him. Are you jealous Tyler? Tyler rolled her eyes partly at herself and partly at the scene in front of her. Ace would always choose her, there was nothing to be jealous of. Even if she didn’t show her affection towards him, she knew he would choose her. Turning in a different direction, Tyler decided to explore the areas she could instead.

He was going to do it.
No you're not!
He was going to do it.
Bullshit. You don't have the balls.
Adrian's eyes flicked from the floor Caden's face.
Do it.
It was now or never. He gently took off his mask.
With a small gulp, Adrian placed removed Caden's mask as well. The mask was replaced with on hand on Caden's cheek, the other on his knee, and leaned in for the kiss.
This was the first time in god knows how long Caden was quiet for a second. His lips were nice and smooth, full, and Adrian wanted more of them. He wanted to lightly nip Caden's lip, and run his fingers into Caden's hair while exploring his mouth. Every little, perfect imperfection needed to be known.
He wanted Caden's arms to wrap around him, pull him in closer, Caden's hands finding his way into Adrian's hair as well, down his body, or perhaps up his leg. Caden could know every part of him as well.
Before any of this could happen, which Adrian was more than confident it wouldn't anyway, Adrian sprinted out of the room. His chest felt heavy now. Tears began to collect in his eyes.
He needed to find a bathroom. He didn't care that everyone could see his face right now.
He was an idiot.
He kissed Caden.
Was it worth it?
Despite the fact he felt as if his heart was about to explode, his knees crumple beneath him, and sob in front of the hole party, he would say it was worth it. At least now it was out. It was the nicest second he had for quite a long time.

"What do you mean by 'they grow old so fart'? Your children, or the hunters? Your statement before that confuses me. The other vampires would frown on her dating a hunter but I really don't think that would change much," Lutz began to pour some of the wine that had been set on the table. It was some variety of white wine.
He handed Roman a glass before taking a seat once more.
"Roman, you live here. You know that while London may be small, it is also very large. Nothing stops him from moving. He could be in Richmond, Cockfosters, though I see no reason why he'd be there, Greenwich, anywhere in central... he could be anywhere. Add on how many people there are in London and that just makes it even worse. The fact he managed to get into England is really the amazing thing. I doubt he has a passport." Lutz took a sip of the wine. "Perhaps if you are so worried about her, you should be downstairs, no? But, she is an adult... so no matter what you do or say, it doesn't mean she is going to listen to you. In order to learn, just as when they were small, they need to make their own mistakes."

This woman's voice was familiar. From where, he wasn't quite sure. But, if things went his way, by the end of the night he would know. Removing her mask and giving her a kiss later would be the best way to find out. This place wasn't exactly ideal for other things.
"Are you at all familiar with ball room dances?" He gestured towards the floor where everyone was currently doing a version of the foxtrot. "There are five main types of dances, and if you're unfamiliar I'd be more then happy to help you learn." Ace took her hand and kissed it gently. "I'd ask your name, but I'm afraid that would take away part of the mystery, no? It's almost as if you're my Cinderella. A beautiful, mysterious girl here at a ball, all on her own, looking for a dance."
He released her hand and bowed. "So shall we begin on the next song?"

Caden’s plate dropped from his lap when their lips connected. The sound of glass shattering rang in his ears as his eyes remained wide open, not completely comprehending what was happening. Adrian’s lips were on his own? Did Adrian know he was sitting with Caden? When Adrian broke the kiss, Caden opened his mouth to say something but he couldn’t come up with anything to say and Adrian had already dashed out of the room.
Caden’s fingers went to his lips as he continued to process what had happened. They were eating. Well, Caden was eating and then Adrian said he had to tell him something and then, his lips were on Caden’s. Well nothing was said, that’s for sure. Adrian being gay was one thing but the kiss, was a whole different story. Caden’s eyes trailed down to the wasted food on the floor and sighed. He should probably go look for Adrian and talk to him about this although, this party wasn’t exactly the ideal place to do it. Maybe they could duck out early and go chat somewhere less…loud and formal. Standing up from his seat, Caden shoved his hands into his dress pants’ pockets and trudged out of the room in search of Adrian.

As Tyler continued her little expedition, the more disappointed she was. She wasn’t the best at fishing for information and the fact that Ace was busy with some girl didn’t really help with her motivation. She really wanted the action to start and didn’t care for what was going on right now. Ace could be getting information right now but the girl had been sitting on a table alone and she didn’t look like someone who would know anything. Seemed like time was being wasted. “Stupid Ace,” Tyler mumbled as she collided with a hard surface. “Oof,” she staggered back a bit and looked up at Adrian. Her eyes widened slightly as she bowed her head a bit, “I’m so sorry sir! I should’ve watched where I was going.” She apologized. There was no need to get on anyone’s bad side tonight and give them any reason to be suspicious. So a bitchy attitude wouldn’t be appropriate right now.
"Wait a second," Tyler trailed off as she studied the blotchy face who wasn't meeting her eyes, "Adrian?" She asked slowly as she placed a hand on his shoulder, "Oh my! It is you." Tyler took a step back to take in Adrian fully, "Wow, I haven't seen you in ages. This is definitely the last place I expected to run into you," she admitted then her eyes landed on his teary face again, "Wait, are you okay?" She asked curiously, her voice laced with concern.

“My children of course,” Roman smiled sadly as he took a sip out of his wine. “And as I said, they’re growing up so fast yet their teamwork potential is slacking heavily. They’re all over the place and the chemistry just isn’t there. They’ve failed plenty of times because of it.” Roman knew their abilities were immensely powerful together if they just knew how to be a team and not always fuck each other up like what had happened with the last vampire they were assigned to.
“When will the meeting with Suru occur?” Roman asked curiously. “That should be top priority right now. I should be the one apologizing for the rant about the children.”

The more he spoke, the more Katja felt as if she had heard that voice before. She mentally frowned as the thought started to frustrate her. One thing she absolutely hated was forgetting things. The feeling of her knowing something but not able to retrieve it drove her crazy. Just ignore it for now. You wanted a dance and now you’re going to complain about it? She smiled sheepishly at her stranger and shrugged, “I don’t attend these things often so I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t,” she admitted.
“It’s almost as if you’re my Cinderella.” Boom. There it was. The trigger to her memory of that familiar voice. It was that hunter.
A frown replaced the excited smile for a brief second but then the smile was back as she curtsied once he bowed to her, “I hope you’re a good teacher,” she teased seeming perfectly fine and excited on the outside, but her brain was racking. Out of all places, he had to be here. The one night I’m excited about dressing up and coming to one of these things, the arrogant asshole has to be here. But then again, he was the only stranger who offered to dance with me. My brothers are who knows where, completely abandoning me and Roman’s nowhere to be seen. Then again, he probably doesn’t even know it’s me and if he did, he wouldn’t be acting this nice. Or does he know and that’s why he brought up the stupid Cinderella nickname? Or maybe he just calls everyone that. Or maybe he doesn’t.
Wait.
This guy’s a hunter. Katja stared at Ace for a little longer than necessary as the important fact dawned upon her. He wasn’t here to have a good time…not the good time Katja was planning on having anyways.
“I like the don’t share rule,” she grinned, “That’s the point of masquerade balls. Dance with a stranger and be left with wonder after the night is over. It’s like living in a dream.” She wasn’t sure what she should do at this point. Warn the others? She had no idea how many other hunters were around so screaming would be a bad idea. Warn Adrian and Caden maybe but they were still MIA? Ugh, but he seems harmless now and I really want to dance. Maybe dance for now and see what happens later. That seemed like an ideal plan. Tonight was supposed to be a break from reality.

"I'm sorr--" Adrian began as he bumped into Tyler.
The voice was familiar but he couldn't quite figure out who was speaking to him. He scrunched his eyebrows. "Who are you?" He paused, but before she could answer he continued to walk. "Doesn't matter, if you want to talk to me then come outside. I... need some fresh air."
He didn't check to look and see if Tyler was following him.
It was beginning to drizzle outside. The little droplets of rain felt nice on Adrian's skin. He was sure that his face was read as a tomato. As cliche as it sounded, at least if it began to pour no one would notice him crying... hopefully.
Caden is going to hate you. He won't want to talk to you anymore.
He's your brother!
What is wrong with you?
Roman is going to disown you now. You'll be left alone just like before.
Adrian shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. Everything will be alright. Everything will be alright. Everything will be alright. If he told himself that enough times it would become true, right?
Wrong
"Shut up!" Adrian yelled at no one in particular. "Everything is going to be fine. It has to be, it had," he took a seat on a water fountain and covered his eyes with his inner elbow. "I am such an idiot. God why did I do that? He's going to hate me." His voice was but a shaky whisper, mixed in with sobs.

"Soon," Lutz said. "And it was hardly a rant. Say whatever is on your mind, you're in kind company." Lutz stood back up and began to pace again. "Though to be honest, I feel as if you and I should both be on the floor. At least me. If the hunters are here I'd like to be around when and if they do something. I swear to whatever gods or goddesses there may be, if any of them touch my sons their head will be mine."
He put his glass down and turned to Roman once more. "What made you decide to adopt anyway? You're attractive enough to find a nice woman... or man. You've really never come off as either way. I think that it'd do you some good to have a little sugar in your life." He smirked and tipped the glass towards Roman. "So, I know that our meeting up here was short but... shall we? There is a party downstairs you know."

"That's very interesting," Maxwell said as he took a sip of champagne, a small grin on his face. "I never knew that. Would you care to go for a walk outside? I fear it is getting very hot in here. There is a wee bit of a drizzle outside, would that bother you?"
Maxwell was almost certain that the person he was speaking to was Vinzenz. If he could get Vinzenz outside, then one of the two sons would be done with. He was more or less acting just like the profile. It was amazing that he hadn't run into Reiner yet.

"No, I don't mind, that sounds rather wonderful actually. It gives me an excuse to go outside. You're rather charming," Vinzenz bowed slightly and a bashful smile could be seen through his mask. "I'm afraid that my father would be rather upset if I let but... at least it is with good company."

Maxwell was unsure if Vinzenz had the same thing in mind as him. Well, this kid certainly did not have murder on his mind... and Maxwell didn't have anything else on his. Hopefully this kid wasn't going where he thought he was going.
He brought a smile back to his face. "Well, shall we go? Is there anywhere in particular you are fond of? We're none too far from a walk along the Thames if that would suite your fancy."

"That sounds absolutely fantastic." Vinzenz bowed again, Maxwell smiled. The deal was sealed.

The change in Katja's mood was very clear to Ace. She was going up and down, changing her mind.
"Are you sure? You seem rather displeased within your happiness," Ace arched an eyebrow, not that it could be seen. "Did I say something wrong?"
Normally calling someone by one of various princesses worked a charm. Since this was a ball it seemed to most fitting and yet...
He'd wait and see. Maybe he could figure out who she was based on how everything went.
He gestured towards the dance floor. "Well, if you are fine then I can teach you the foxtrot, or whatever it is that everyone will be doing in the next song. Keep in mind that there may be some partner switching as well." He held out his hand once more. If she denied it again then he would try and go elsewhere. He felt no reason to stick around with a woman who clearly wasn't interested.

“Why would you think you’re an idiot?” Tyler asked from the door sill. “Is everything okay? She closed the distance between them and took a seat next to him. “I’d assume it’d be something along the lines of coming here because this doesn’t seem like your scene,” she mused as she looked up at the sky. “Though I’m not sure that would be enough to cause you to cry. Then again, we haven’t really seen each other in so long.” she continued, “I’m actually surprised with myself that I still recognize you. I think I deserve a gold star sticker or something.”

“Ah that’s a story for another time,” Roman grinned as he clunked his glass gently against Lutz. “We wouldn’t want to keep your guests down there without their host. If any of the hunters show up, you know we’ll take care of it,” he assured as he followed Lutz back down to the party.

Katja shook her head at his question, “Nope, nothing’s wrong,” she grinned as she took his hand. “Everything is just perfect. Tonight is perfect.” Her inner voice started nagging her about how this was a bad idea. There’s no way they’re here to have a good time. They’re probably waiting for something and if you let them stall it out, something could happen and you’ll be blaming yourself for it. Katja kept her genuine smile on as the next song began. It was a slow song. “I’ve always wondered why there’s so many different dances. What happened to just…,” she trailed off as she guided his hand that she was holding onto her waist then proceeded to wrap her own arms around his neck, “Plain and simple,” she finished, looking up at him with a smile. None of her brothers were in her sight of vision nor was Roman. She really didn’t have a plan set in stone. That wasn’t really her forte. Her mouth however, just kept going. “Another thing I wondered,” she began as she pulled herself closer to him. Under normal circumstances, she would have never done such a thing like this and would’ve just politely declined the dance and went off to find the others to warn them. Maybe it was the mask that was hiding her identity that made her act so recklessly? She had no idea. “This is a beautiful ball and all these vampires gathered around having a fun time. Why would a hunter be joining in on this festive fun?” She whispered in his ear then pulled back a little so she was looking directly at him.

Ace stopped mid-dance and frowned at her.
"What an uncalled for, unjustified claim. It's no wonder no one came up to dance with you till me. Perhaps they knew better."
The song came to and end and he began to walk off of the floor. "Good luck finding someone else to dance with Maleficent, and be careful who you accuse of something as extreme as that. Especially here. It'd be a pity to cause widespread panic for no reason."
He didn't bother bowing upon leaving. She didn't deserve it.
She was right but he couldn't let her know that. There was no way she could confirm or deny either way.
For now he may as well go find Tyler. She'd be much nicer to send some time with before the ball became spicier.

Vinzenz followed Maxwell out of the party and onto the lawn. "What brings you to this party?" He asked. "You aren't a vampire, and while there are plenty of guests here who aren't, you don't strike me as someone familiar."
Maxwell placed a hand on the small of Vizenz back and walked along with him, attempting to pick up the pace.
Vizenz turned flush.
"Isn't that the point of a ball?" Maxwell removed his hand as the pair moved closer to the water. "Being anonymous is the point. I've seen you plenty of times, as you have me. As for now, I figured a walk with one who may as well be royalty would be pleasant."
Vinzens began to twiddle his thumbs and nibbled on his lower lip. "I have confidence you've seen me before, but I really don't recognize any aspect of you. What is your name?"
"That is no matter, come," Maxwell gestured towards the pathway. "Perhaps a little further into the walk I'll let you know. Far too many people around to see now." He winked.
Vinzenz let out a small sigh and cast his eyes to the ground. "Now that we're here, I'm not so sure of this. Something seems..."
"Off?" Maxwell's shoulders sagged and he cast his eyes to the ground. "And to think I thought..."
"No, no, it's fine. Let's just," Vinzenz didn't finish his sentence and began to walk along the river. "Why me and not my brothers?"
"Well... your brothers don't quite seem like the type."
"The type for what?"
The two turned around and their eyes laid on another dressed exactly like Vinzenz.
Shit,, he thought. On my own this could be a real problem.
"Reiner, please--"
Reiner waived a hand. "And who might you be? I don't recognize you either, and yet here you are coercing my youngest brother out into an isolated area. Strange, don't you think?"
"Reiner, everything is fine," Vinzenz took a step forward. "Why did you follow me out here?"
"Because you're gullible. You're coming back." Reiner pointed at Maxwell. "You, however, are not. If you tell me who you are and I confirm you're no threat you're more then welcome to enjoy the rest of the party. Otherwise, I forbid your re-entrance."
Maxwell bowed and approached the two. "My apologies for coming off as untrustworthy to you, Reiner."
Maxwell bowed again, slipping a hand into his pocket.
Upon drawing, he flicked open the knife and stabbed Vinzenz through the back underside of his skull.
His body crumpled to the floor.
Reiner's hand twitched, his eyes on his brothers still body.
"I shall listen to your request and not return," Maxwell took several steps back. "For now, you have some rather important news to tell your father."

"It really doesn't matter," Adrian rubbed his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt and tried to even out his breathing.
It didn't help. His breathing became more labored and uneven.
He wanted to scream.
He wanted to tear his hair out.
He wanted to go home.
He was going to go home.
Adrian shook his head again and rubbed his eyes once more. "I'm going to go home. Like you said this isn't my scene. My face is now stained with salt water, my tuxedo is as well and I just..." his throat tightened and his stomach lurched. "I can't be here any longer. I have a really terrible feeling."
He stood up and paced a little bit. "Why are you here? I thought this was some vampire party, this doesn't seem like much of your scene either. Well, unless things have changed and they could have. I was dragged here and I'm going to leave. I think I'm going to the nearest Costa or Pret and get something to snack on and drink. You can come if you want but you don't have to. I just... need to get away from someone here. They didn't do anything wrong but--" he needed to shut up.
"I'm going," he said and began to march towards the gate.

Before Ace could get far, Katja reached out and grabbed the back of his arm, stopping him in his tracks. “Now now, no need to deny it. You think I don’t recognize that voice? It doesn’t help that you’re being all defensive about it either.” Although she wasn’t 100% sure this was the same guy, she just seemed so sure of it and the way he was acting was just making her more sure of it. She couldn’t let him leave her sight. If he was here then there must be other hunters lurking around and she had no idea what their plans were. She tried reaching out to Roman through her thoughts but there was too much of a buzz going on. “You’re not going anywhere and I don’t care if a scene is made. I’m pretty sure we outnumber you and your friends. Why don’t you tell me the reason you’re here.” She asked as she tugged on his arm, pulling herself closer to him.


“I’ll come with you,” Tyler chimed as she picked up her pace to catch up to him. She ignored the question about why she was attending this thing because well…she wouldn’t reveal that to Adrian no matter how close they were. He’d probably find out eventually but with his current state, it didn’t seem like the right time. She had no idea why she opted to follow him. She had a job to do and Ace would not be pleased with the choice she was making but she couldn’t stand to see Adrian like this. They may have lost contact but they had been super close at one point but then drifted apart. She had thought about him at times but not a lot because her job and training took up most of her thoughts. “I think company is something you need right now and I might not be your first choice of that…but I’m here.”

When Katja would not let him yank his hand out of her grip, he dragged her off the dancefloor instead.

"I don't think that anyone here would take kindly to such a vile accusation. Do you think that is funny?" Ace twisted Katja's wrist to the left to release his hand. "If there were any of those loons wandering around here you would think they'd be stopped at the door. You need an invitation to get into this building. You can't just waltz in."

Before Katja could say anything Ace put a finger up to her lips. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get myself a drink, some hors d'oeuvres, and find myself a finer lady to enjoy the rest of the night with.

Ace stalked off, though had a strong inkling that this exceptionally rude woman was going to follow him. She was right, but he wasn't the one who needed to start anything. If everything went right, no one would even know that the group of them were here.

Adrian stopped. He let out a deep breath to attempt and calm down. He relaxed his shoulders, but as soon as he took his mind off them they tensed up once more.

"I don't need company right now," Adrian murmured and then continued to march on. "I'd rather be alone." He actually wasn't 100% sure what he wanted. He knew he wanted to run away, but he could only run away for so long. He'd have to return home at some point. When he returned home he'd have to face Caden and potentially an angry Roman as well. He was unsure of how Roman felt about these things in general. As Adrian stood right now, he was likely a disappointment in Roman's eyes anyway. He wasn't at all what he was expected to be.

After much more huffing and puffing Adrian decided to stop and took a seat at an empty bus stop. He could take the buses to a nearby tube station and then make his way to Charring Cross and wander around there for a while. Maybe Foyles would be open. He knew it wouldn't be, but at least it would give him a destination, and maybe, just maybe, Tyler would give up the pursuit.

Crossing her arms as he began strolling away from her, she shook her head in disbelief. “How stupid does he think I am?” She whispered to herself as she raised a hand in the air, swirling it in a half circle forcing all the doors in the ballroom to slam shut. There was no way he was getting out of here without a fight. Thinking about it, there was no way there were more hunters than there were vampires present in this ballroom.

She quickly strolled after him, holding up the bottom of her dress so she didn’t trip over it. Sliding in front of him, she blocked his path and held her hand out to her side. “Okay, I don’t really want to make a scene because your pretty face will get ripped to pieces by all these vampires.” Her hand gripped around a steak knife she had noticed when she was marching towards him. “So why don’t you tell me why you’re here and how many more there are of you?” She asked as she kept the knife to her side, ready to use it if necessary. “Let’s not let this turn ugly like your pick up lines, Prince Charming.”


Caden’s eyes were scanning the ballroom but he couldn’t find Adrian anywhere. He already had a feeling that he left and he was at the bus stop about to go somewhere but he kind of hoped that he hadn’t left. He started debating with himself if it’d be a good idea to go after him since that would leave Roman and Katja alone if something were to happen. Although, they were in a ballroom full of vampires who were fully capable. He would’ve told Katja that he was going to dip but he couldn’t find her anywhere. This ballroom was too big for his liking. He began trudging towards the front door, mumbling under his breath. He wished Adrian was better at communicating his feelings instead of just storming off and forcing Caden to go after him. This was really inconvenient. His eyes raised curiously at the locked door as he tried to pull it open. These weren’t closed when they first got here…


“Well you haven’t changed much,” Tyler smiled, trying to lighten up the mood. Adrian was always the type who wanted to be alone. When she realized Adrian was headed to a bus stop, she decided that’s where her pursuit would end. She probably shouldn’t wander off too far from the party in case things went wrong. She wouldn’t hear the end of it if Maxwell and Ace noticed she was missing. “I should get back to the party,” she started as she took a seat next to Adrian. “I’m guessing you wanted someone else to follow you instead of me?” She guessed, turning her head towards him. “Sorry to disappoint.” She mumbled as she looked down at the bottom of her dress as she swung her legs softly.

This was not going as planned.

At all.

Not to mention this girl was far stupider than he could have ever imagined.

"I am going to make a scene if you don't back off," Ace warned. He eyed her knife but it was no big deal. "You really are stupid." He turned around and tapped the shoulder of one man whose eyes were glued to the dance floor.

"Excuse me sir, but would you happen to know where one of the hosts are? This deranged woman," he pointed at Katja "seems to think that someone is going to hurt her so shes come after me with a knife."

The man looked between Ace and Katja before he put up his hands. "I am afraid I haven't seem the Lord all night, nor have I seen the sons in some time. Perhaps this is something you should go solve amongst yourselves outside."

He scuttled off.

Ace sighed and turned back the Katja. "I seriously have no idea what you are talking about. If you're so convinced that--"

There was a heavy thud on the door.

And Again.

Again.

The doors were forced open and a bloodied Reiner stepped through the door, Viznez in hand.

The music and dancing stopped.

Reiner placed his brother on the floor and looked into the crowd. "Find them. Now. There's more."

---

"I kissed Caden," Adrian began to circle his thumbs. "I've had a crush on him for a long time now. He's not gay and he likes Katja." He paused. "I shouldn't have kissed him."

Adrian stood back up and began to pace, his head tilted down. His legs felt weak. He swore he could almost hear his bed calling him, telling him it would make everything right. He'd never have to get up and out of it again.

His bad couldn't stop Caden from finding him. Did he even want Caden to find him?

He shook his head and sat back down next to Tyler. "How do you know Lutz or his family? I really don't, but my 'dad' does so I had to come."

Katja’s eyes darted to the scene by one of the open doors and they widened at the body dropping to the ground. Her attention turned back to Ace as she stepped closer towards him. “Are you sure you have no idea what I’m talking about? Hunter? Why don’t you tell me who you came here with and where the rest of them are.” She demanded as she continued stepping closer towards him, almost closing the distance between them.

“This time you can’t fake blood and call for humans to help you out of here.” Katja warned.

“So do you want to do this the easy way or the hard way?” At that same moment, Katja began reaching out mentally to Roman again since the noise had gone down. There’s one here. I have him cornered.



Roman examined the scene in front of him. This was not good…not good at all. There’s one here. I have him cornered. Roman’s head searched for the source of the noise, trying to find Katja through the swarm of people who all seemed to be standing still like statues. He didn’t want to leave Lutz’s side at this time but he wasn’t sure if Katja was okay on her own if she had found one of the hunters.


“I’m guessing Caden is like your brother then?” Tyler asked curiously. It had been a long time since they had talked and she didn’t actually know what Adrian was doing these days. She knew she lived with 2 other people around his age but that’s the extent of her knowledge. “If he is then I’m sure he’d be understanding of what happened. Have you even tried talking to him? I’m guessing not since you just ran out the way you did.” Tyler fell quiet at his last question then decided to mimic his answer “My dad made me too…he knows him.”

"You really are a psycho fucking bitch," Ace hissed. "You're trying to blame me for that? What the fuck is wrong with you?" Ace's heart began to race. Now that everyone was busy panicking about hunters being here, all the while a few, presumable vampires, began to look around. What did they think they would find? 'I'm a Vampire Hunter' spray painted on their backs?

"I don't know what you want from me, but between you threatening me with a goddamn knife and accusing me of being a fucking hunter, you're the one who looks suspicious." He frowned and began to slowly walk towards the middle of the room, his side towards Katja, that way if she tried to stab him she'd have less space to aim, all the while his eyes on her.

Lutz dashed towards the door where his now dead son lay.

"What happened? Reiner, what happened?"

Reiner hung his head and shook it. "Maxwell lured him out. I followed them and by the time I decided to do something well... it was obviously a bit late." He stood up and looked into the crowd. "If Maxwell was here then others have to be as well. Coward ran off as soon as he stabbed Viznez. The least we can do now is find as many in here as we can."

He began to walk towards the crowd. "Stop running!" He boomed while taking off his mask. "My father and I know who we invited. No one is leaving till I personally find the hunters. When I come to you, take off your mask and say your names."

This became very bad, very fast. These people... monsters... would kill him on the spot.

There were enough that he wouldn't be able to run off to anywhere, nor would the other hunters. He and many of the other skilled hunters were here. Losing all of them would be terrible for the city.

Reiner began to approach people and they all took off their masks, followed by a bow. Those who took off their masks then kneeled in place, some resting their heads in their hands, others staring off into space.

Ace began to make his way away from Katja and Reiner, to hell with this.

Through the corner of his eye he saw Reiner approaching one of his colleagues.

Reiner's lips moved, presumably requesting his colleague to take his mask off.

His colleague bowed. A knife flew out of his pocked and was aimed at Reiner's throat, a thin line of blood flying through the air as the vampire dodged the attack.

Other vampires closed in.

Like clockwork Ace, and any of the other hunters in the crowd fled for the nearest window as their colleague was surrounded.

---

"He's sort of a brother? We're not biologically related but we grew up together. I'm sure you've met him." Adrian looked over at Tyler. "How does your dad know him? I vaguely remember him from when I was a kid. He doesn't strike me as the type to like fancy parties."

Katja didn’t waste a second and started chasing after Ace, “Not a hunter my ass,” she muttered under her breath. She stole a quick glance at the knife in her hand then back at Ace. She didn’t know if it was the wisest idea to just throw it blindly. She did think of something else though. She skidded to a stop and her hand was stretched outwards to the extravagant table with all the food and drinks beautifully displayed on it and in a swift motion, the table began flying towards Ace’s path to intercept his escape. “You’re dreaming if you think you’re getting out of here without a scratch.” She called out after him.
She took off from her spot once again to stop Ace. “I’m not going to let you get away like last time you cheesy, pompous ass.” She mumbled to herself, her grip on the knife tightening.

“Let’s um…not talk about that right now,” Tyler mumbled as she looked at down to her feet, kicking the ground with one of them. “You should talk to him though. I have a feeling he’d be really understanding of the situation. Actually, he might even surprise you.”

Ace sprinted towards a window, hands clammed, stomach knotted. If he was caught he was sure he'd be fish food. Getting away was the only option here.

The footsteps of the vampires behind him combined with the crazy lady chasing him was more than enough to make his heart skip a beat.

That being said, he hadn't been so stimulated in a long time. When would he have the opportunity to attend a vampire party and jump out a window again?

Probably never.

Food flew, pegged Ace, the other hunters, vampires, guests-- the table hurtling down onto Aces right half. He hit the ground with a loud bang, a crack splitting through his ears from his shoulder and ribs.

"God... damn it..." he groaned. With whatever happened to his shoulder, there was no way he'd be removing this table himself.

Adrian gnawed on his nails for a moment, glanced at his feet, and returned his gaze to Tyler. "I guess maybe we should be getting back? Everyone is probably worried that I'm missing. I'll just... hang out in the court yard or something," he paused to rub his neck. "I guess."

The commotion from the party echoed it's way down the road. Adrian popped on to his feet, forgetting about his petty woes in the mean time. Was everyone okay?