The sounds of soft cries stirred Esper from her sleep. She groggily opened her eyes and saw little Max standing at the side of the bed, rubbing at his eyes. “Oh, Max.” As Esper sat up, she wrapped the sheet around her torso like a makeshift dress then pulled the boy onto her lap. “How about you tell Mama what’s wrong?” “I had a bad dream.” Maxim hugged onto his mother tight as his small body shook. “I dreamt I was big and hurt you. I don’t want to hurt you, Mama.” “Oh, Sweetie.” Esper caressed Maxim’s raven locks and kissed the top of his head. “I’m sorry you had a bad dream.” Seeing the small boy distressed broke Esper’s heart. She knew the cause of his nightmare. Maxim was suffering from memory echoes, a common a
A snowstorm frenzied through the forest of Austertana, Norway. Trees creaked as they bowed in submission to the forceful wind, a few limbs giving way and crashing into the wall of a remote mansion. The towering structure stood in almost complete darkness. A small amount of light was emanating from a single window on the second floor. The window gave view of a child's bedroom decorated in lace, pinks, and teddy bears. In the center stood a small silver-haired child and a tall distorted man. "Little One, you have to let go now. It's time for me to leave." The dark figure cooed to the small angelic child before him as he gently smoothed her silver hair back. "But I don't want you to go..." Her words trailed off as tears glistened in the child's blue and red hazel eyes. She would typically fight them back, but the young girl was hoping if she let him see her tears, then the man would not leave. "Esper, your new friends are arriving. You are going to have so much fun with the
The mansion had sprung to life with the hustle and bustle of the staff. The dining room was set with fine china, the aroma of food being prepared filled the halls, and guest rooms were in the process of being cleaned. The preparations were almost complete. Chimes sounded throughout the mansion, announcing the arrival of the first guests. "Master Wesley," an elderly man dressed in a butler's uniform called out. Esper's father made his way back to the foyer, the girls trailing behind him. As they lined up, Esper tried to hide behind her friends. She was nervous about being in the presence of some of the world's most sought-after bachelors, but Saffron was having none of it. The brunette vampire took hold of her friend's arm and shoved her forward. Letting out a huff, Esper forfeited the battle and resigned to standing at the front with her father.
After dinner, Esper excused herself and made her way outside to a balcony. She stood in the cold and braced her arms on the railing, collecting her thoughts and processing them. There were so many new faces and names, all of which were from the highest of nobility. Taking a deep breath, Esper slouched over the railing and exhaled slowly. "Long night?" A voice sounded from the doorway. She looked back to see the black-haired and red-eyed vampire approaching her. Esper recognized him as the late arrival. "You are Seraph, right?" Esper hoped she had guessed the proper name. He nodded, confirming she was correct. The small victory gave her a brief feeling of relief. "Not so much a long night, just a lot to take in." Esper sighed as she looked up towards the sky. It was so clear up in the lonely mountains. Her father had chosen the perfect location to
Esper let out a long yawn as she stretched, watching the soft pinks and purples dancing across the snow. The view was so enchanting and serene. She just sat there, watching it until her stomach let out a loud grumble. "Ugh, alright, breakfast it is." She got up and walked up to her door. Esper had a shocking surprise when she opened her door. Saffron was standing there, her arms folded across her chest, and her foot jutted out, giving Esper a disapproving look. "What," Esper asked sleepily, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes. "Did you really think I would let you go down to breakfast looking like that?" Saffron, more so stated than asked as she looked her companion over. Esper looked down at her clothes. She was wearing a band tee and sweats. "What's wrong with this?"
Sticking her hands in her pockets, Esper began her trek upstairs to the music room. With the alone time, she wanted to get in some cello practice. When she reached the door, Esper lingered and ran her fingers along the door frame. This was her favorite room in the entire house, a place where nothing mattered except music. Esper glided over to the center of the room where her cello rested in its stand. It looked regal with its shiny black shellac. She sat down, bringing the instrument toward her until it rested between her legs and against her shoulder. The vampire inhaled slowly and let the bow dance across the strings, playing Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. The melody flowed through the hallways, the somber notes filling the houseguests' ears as they finished cleaning up. "What is that," Remy asked, his ears perking up at the sound. &
The mansion was full of life with preparations. The aroma of food filled the air along with the chatter of the staff. Chimes rang over the conversations, announcing the flow of guests arriving. Esper was constantly trotting towards the entry and welcoming guests as they entered. Senna and Saffron would then escort the guests to their room to allow them to get settled before dinner. In between guests, Esper would check in with the staff to see how they were progressing. She never knew how overwhelming being the head of a house could be. It made her wonder how her father managed to run a fine-tuned household and a business empire as well. He never ceased to amaze her. After several long strenuous hours of keeping on top of all the mansion's inner workings, Esper was finally allowed a small break to get ready for dinner. She took a deep breath and readied herself both mental