Serena could hardly remember the names and faces of all the vampires she met that night but none had affected her as much as the one who sat beside her at the banquet table. The powerful aura emanating from him was strong enough to make her forget everyone else in the room while causing every nerve in her body to vibrate with tension. Just as she cast about inside her head, searching for an excuse to leave the table to escape the nervous anxiety she was feeling, she heard his voice speaking softly in her ear.
"Shall we?", as he held his hand out for her to take.
No!, her mind screamed but her traitorous body slowly placed her hand in his. His grip was cool and firm as he led her to the dance floor and slid his other hand around her waist. The floor was empty as he led her gracefully to the music and she followed him, anticipating his every movement, as if they had danced together for many years before tonight. It felt natural and comfortable and the anxiety from before slowly faded until she looked up into his eyes.
He was staring straight at her with a look in his eyes that she couldn't quite fathom but she felt neither ill-intent nor malice from his gaze. She moved her eyes to look behind him, when she felt his fingers intertwine with hers, the slight movement startled her but she restrained herself from looking back at him. She could feel his eyes still on her and was acutely aware of his hand pressing gently into the small of her back as if trying to coax her closer to him. She breathed deeply to keep her heart beat steady and tried to concentrate on the music and his movements.
He bent forward slightly, lowering his head close enough that she could feel his breath against her cheek, a sensation that was not entirely unpleasant but made her stiffen nonetheless. His very presence was wreaking havoc with her senses and she prayed silently for the dance to end.
Then she felt his fingers slowly caress her back in slow, sensual motions that sent goosebumps down her arms and tingles down her spine. She quickly glanced at him but his eyes were staring into the distance behind her head. Her heart beat quickened and as she struggled to control it, the dance came to an end and the guests returned to join them on the dance floor.
As the crowd grew around them, Serena felt him loosen his hold around her but still holding her hand, he led her away from the dance floor and towards the tall glass doors leading out onto the terrace. Reaching the terrace, he stopped and turned around to face her, his grey eyes searching her violet ones before he spoke.
"Why do you not fear me?"
"Would it matter if I did?", she answered his question with another.
"Perhaps it would be better if you did"
"I cannot fear that which I do not know"
A fleeting look of surprise crossed his face before disappearing so quickly that she wasn't even sure it had ever been there. He seemed about to say something when Inga and Kara appeared on the terrace, their heads bowed. He nodded at them and stepping away from her without another word, he turned and strode through the glass doors entering the hall.
"His Majesty requests that you return to your chambers" , said Inga, making it sound more like a command than a simple request.
"Very well", Serena sighed as she started walking back towards the glass doors.
Serena entered the hall and attempting to avoid the dance floor, she stayed close to the walls along the sides of the hall. She suddenly noticed that the music that was playing sounded much different to what was being played earlier that night. It sounded low and dark with a throbbing base and deep, full notes that for some reason brought warmth to her face and neck. The lights also seemed to be dimmer than she remembered, casting pools of shadow throughout the hall and bathing everything else in a dusky light. Pausing as she reached the hall's center, she scanned the room letting her eyes gradually adjust to the odd lighting. As realization dawned on her, her eyes widened in shock.
The hall was massive and spacious with long rectangular tables and chairs lined around the walls while the main banquet table was set above the floor on a marble stage accessible by marble steps. The hall floor was also made of marble while the walls and ceiling were made of dark wood. Three ornate crystal chandeliers hung suspended from the high ceiling while tapestries with intricate designs were hung from the walls.
When her eyes had eventually adjusted to the strange lights in the hall, Serena clearly saw vampires and humans alike moving together under the dim lights. Her shock rendered her completely still, as her gaze fell upon a handsome male vampire dancing seductively with a human woman, their bodies writhing and grinding against each other on the dance floor. As they danced, oblivious to everyone around them, the vampire bent his head to the human's neck, kissing and sucking her skin before opening his mouth and sinking his fangs deep into her throat. Thin rivulets of blood rolled languidly down the woman's neck before disappearing into her cleavage. As if caught in a trance, Serena continued to watch as the vampire lowered his head to lick the blood pooling in the woman's cleavage while she closed her eyes and opened her mouth, moaning in ecstasy.
Serena tried to avert her eyes but only succeeded in landing her gaze on two female vampires sitting on a chair at a table across the room. The blonde vampiress sat, leaning back in the chair while the brunette sat straddling her with her arms around the blonde's neck. Both vampiress' wore black strapless gowns exposing their shoulders and cleavage. Unable to tear her eyes away, Serena stared as the blonde vampiress kissed the brunette fully on the lips as her hands massaged the brunette's breasts through her gown, eventually sliding the fabric down to reveal full rounded breasts with pink nipples that were both fully erect. Before Serena could look away, the blonde had lowered her head and began sucking the brunette's nipples in turn while the brunette had begun to sensually grind her hips against the blonde.
On another table nearby, a male vampire was thrusting vigorously into a vampiress who sat on the table with her legs wrapped around his waist. While yet another table was occupied by two vampires draining a human from both her wrists.
Everywhere she looked Serena was surrounded by scenes of erotic lust, her heart was pounding in her chest and her breaths were coming in short, sharp gasps as the panic began to build inside her. Not knowing or caring about what had become of the two maids, she began running through hall in the direction of the doors, the sounds of moaning and groaning filling her ears.
Her hair streamed out behind her and her footsteps echoed across the marble floor, beating in time with her pounding heart. She could feel tears begin to sting her eyes as the panic swelled within her. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as she crashed headfirst into a solid, unyielding chest. Blindly reaching out to push whoever it was away, she looked up into a pair of stormy gray eyes.
"Ivar", she panted as she fell against him and fainted in his arms.