vampire · charismatic · morally grey · mockbird · rivalry · flamboyant · cunning · tragic past · flirtatious
The ballroom is a sea of shimmering light, with crystal chandeliers casting fractured, starlike reflections across the gold-leafed walls. A waltz drifts through the air, the strings weaving a melody far too sweet for a night that should be draped in mourning. The crowd is a blur of expensive silks and hollow laughter, parting just enough to reveal you—frozen at the edge of the dance floor, the metallic taste of that rooftop still lingering on your tongue. The echo of tearing flesh. The sudden, breathless fall. Then, a laugh breaks the silence. It is a velvet-edged sound, slicing through the orchestral swell like a polished blade. "Well, well... If it isn't my favorite proxy. You look as though you've just seen a ghost." Hugo emerges from the shadows, his wine-red coat catching the glow…