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?"
"Nope, nope, nope, you need to get dressed. I will not be seen with you looking like a preteen boy," Saffron announced, dragging Esper against her will towards her bathroom. Before she could even put up a struggle, Saffron had already stripped her down and shoved her into her shower.
After a long shower, Esper walked out of her bathroom, surprised to see Senna sitting on the bed with a pouting face dressed in an overly fluffy ballgown. "Did she bombard you at your door too?"
"Yup," Senna replied as she flopped back on the bed.
Esper shook her head and looked around the room, noticing Saffron wasn't there. She looked back at Senna and raised her eyebrow. "Well, if I'm going to be dressed for breakfast, then I am wearing clothes I'm comfortable in, and you are too."
Senna's face lit up with relief at the mention of changing clothes. "I am so game. I don't know how Saffron wears dresses every day."
"Me neither. They are fine occasionally, but I will take pants over a dress any day." Esper reached her hand out and pulled Senna upright.
The two girls linked arms and skipped over to Esper's walk-in closet. Together, they dug through Esper's clothes, trying on different outfits. Senna decided on a pair of skinny blue jeans paired with a baby blue and white striped sweater, while Esper chose black skinny jeans, a black tank top, and a red and black Freddy Krueger-esque sweater tunic. Satisfied with the look and comfort of their clothes, they headed out.
Esper and Senna skipped down the hall to Saffron's room, arms linked together. Seeing the two girls dressed in casual clothes, Saffron nearly slammed her face on her vanity. The two struggled to stifle their laughs as they sat down on their friend's bed.
"I give up on you two," Saffron complained, feeling utterly defeated.
"Come now, Saffron, you got us to dress like proper girls yesterday, and you can do it again for the balls," Senna offered, trying to cheer up her friend.
"Alright, I suppose I can live with that," Saffron grumbled, returning to her makeup. Both Esper and Senna grinned as they had clearly won today's battle.
"Are you two torturing my dear sister?" Asher smiled as he knocked on the door, wearing jeans and a graphic t-shirt. He tousled Saffron's hair as he walked in and took the seat next to her. "C'mon Lil Sis, you know you are the only one going to be well dressed. You need to learn to relax."
"Don't encourage them, Asher," Saffron pouted, not even bothering to fix her hair in defeat. The group burst into laughter. After they calmed down, they all let out a huge sigh.
"How have things been? It has been years since we have seen you," Esper directed towards Asher.
"Well, my father has been grooming me to eventually take over being head of the family. Started at age twelve and been working hard ever since. I could recite the entirety of our family history and how we are connected to different lines. It's been a lot of fun." Asher said sarcastically and let out another long sigh. "How have you girls been?"
"We've been doing pretty much the same thing as when you saw us last. Although my tutors are running out of ordinary subject matter, so I've started getting more freedom with the lessons. I am finally getting to the good stuff. Although I don't think they expected me to dive right into macabre topics. Saffron, on the other hand, has been fully dedicated to her etiquette classes. She is bound and determined to be the most pristine of the noble court." Esper teased.
"Who else are you going to turn to when you don't know which fork to use," Saffron added half-jokingly and half sarcastic, sticking her tongue out. Esper just shrugged.
"What about you, Senna," Asher asked. His eyes seemed to sparkle as they landed on the red-headed female.
"I've just been helping out around the house and studying," Senna replied shyly, quickly looking away from his gaze.
Senna had been in love with Asher since they were kids, but she always felt he was way out of her league. Maybe things would change for her. Senna was sure he wouldn't be trying to court Esper since they were cousins. Plus, the custom of marrying within a vampire's own family had stopped centuries ago.
"Well, I am glad to see you all are doing so well." Asher smiled and tousled Saffron's hair again.
Saffron finally finished getting ready. Not wanting to stick out too much with a formal gown, she decided on a black bodycon dress and a black and sheer striped shrug.
The group made their way down to the dining hall, hoping breakfast was waiting for them. When the young vampires arrived, the dining room was entirely empty. A yawn sounded behind the group and startling them. They all turned to see Remy half asleep in flannel pajama bottoms and a band tee.
"Is breakfast ready yet?" He asked, yawning again. The group shook their heads no in response. Remy let out a small whine and took a seat. He plopped his head onto the table and promptly fell back asleep. Saffron's face looked horrified. Was everyone a lazy bum?
"See Saffron, I would have been just fine in my pajamas," Esper said while chuckling. Saffron gave her a death glare; it was a good thing looks couldn't kill. After a few more moments of silence, Esper started walking towards the kitchen.
"Where are you going," Saffron asked?
Esper gave her friend a big toothy grin. "I am going to make some breakfast. I have a sneaky hunch Father sent the staff out to prepare for the ball."
Low and behold, as Esper entered the kitchen, a note on the counter stated just that. The vampire let out a soft chuckle and began rummaging through the pantry, pulling out tortillas, tomatoes, peppers, limes, and an assortment of herbs and spices. She then went to the fridge, pulling out a couple steaks, a carton of eggs, the milk, and some cheese. As she began to organize her ingredients, pots, pans, and cooking utensils began whizzing through the kitchen, laying themselves neatly on the counter. Esper started to prepare some steak and egg breakfast fajitas. With the help of her telekinetic abilities, she had an assembly line going as she cooked.
Back in the dining room, the other suitors arrived slowly, sitting down and chatting while waiting. Lucca had grown curious about all the sound coming from the kitchen and started edging towards it.
"I wouldn't go in there if I were you. You might lose a limb," Asher advised.
Lucca gave him a confused look and poked his head in anyways. He immediately regretted his decision and pulled his head out. If he had a heartbeat, it would be pounding rapidly in his chest. Knives, pots, pans, and other utensils flew around in the kitchen, like a magical orchestra.
"I told you." Asher just shook his head and laughed to himself.
"Do you remember the first time we met Esper," Saffron asked her brother, her eyes sparkling at the distant memory.
"Of course, she made you and Senna cry because she said she didn't want you as her friends. I remember the scolding she received too." Asher chuckled as he continued.
"She then spent all day trying to bake us a cake as an apology. We almost lost a few limbs because she didn't have great control over her abilities and accidentally gave the pots and pans a mind of their own." Saffron's recollection caused the entire group to burst out laughing.
"I remember that," Senna added through her laughter. "The kitchen staff was running around the dining room, trying to capture all of them before they flew out the windows."
The group broke out into laughter again, trying to imagine the hysteria of a kitchen literally coming to life. Their laughter was broken by the sound of the doors creaking open. Food filled dishes began floating through the air, landing on the table, followed by empty place settings for each person. The food looked delectable and cooked to perfection. After the table was set, Esper reappeared from the kitchen and took her seat. Everyone's eyes followed her, utterly amazed that she was able to cook such a delicious breakfast. She cleared her throat and raised her fork.
"I hereby declare this food ready to eat," Esper toasted. The group erupted into laughter as they began to dish themselves up and started eating. Remy and Lucca piled food onto their plates, their appetites rivaling Esper's. Others took more reasonable amounts.
Once everyone had their fill, Esper stood up and began clearing away the dishes. A soft hand lay upon her shoulder, and she looked up. It was Seraph.
"Why don't you let us clean up?" He gestured towards the rest of the male vampires. "The cook shouldn't have to clean up after such a delicious meal."
Esper blushed and gave him a nod in response, setting the plates in her hands back down onto the table. The men jumped into action, clearing away the dishes, and Senna took charge in the kitchen.
"You go relax and leave everything up to us," Seraph said, leading her to the dining hall entrance. He gave her a gentle push on her back as he closed the doors behind her.
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
The ballroom doors were wide open, displaying the flurry of life inside. Esper had never seen the house this alive. There was dancing, chatter, and laughter; everyone seemed happy. The smiling faces gave her the confidence to face the crowd. Lucca gave Esper's hand a small uneasy squeeze as they entered. Feeling the squeeze, Esper returned the squeeze, providing the nervous male with some comfort. Once the two vampires reached the dancefloor's center, Lucca bowed low. "Will you allow me to have your first dance?" "I would love to," Esper replied as she took his hand once more. Lucca pulled Esper close and led her in a slow waltz across the dancefloor. He stepped on her feet a couple times, apologizing profusely with each occurrence, but he eventually found his rhythm. They swayed along with the music, having a g
Wanting to reach the sanctuary of her room before the panic attack hit, Esper raced out of the ballroom. She heard Maxim call out, but she didn't turn back. It was embarrassing for Esper to not make it through one conversation about her mother without crying. She didn't want Maxim to see her fall apart. Once she was in her room's safety, Esper immediately stripped out of her dress and threw it aside. She curled up in her bed as she tried to fight back the tears. All Esper wanted was for the night to end. A gentle knock sounded at the door, but Esper chose to ignore it. She didn't want anyone to see her in this state. The person knocked again; this time, more concerned. "Hun, can I come in," Saffron called out. Esper stayed silent. The brunette vampire sighed and opened the door anyway. "I am not leaving you alone in here to cry through the day." 
Feeling multiple elbows in her sides, Esper grumbled as she woke up. Along with Lucca, she and her friends had stayed up well into the daylight hours watching Disney movies and fell asleep crowded on the couch at some point. Esper pried herself from cuddle puddle and stood up from the couch. While rubbing out some of the knots in her neck, she looked down at her companions. Lucca was missing. He probably felt uncomfortable sleeping in the same room with a bunch of girls. She passed his missing presence with a shrug. "Alright, sleeping beauties, time to wake up." Esper reached down and shook her friends. Saffron and Senna let out large yawns like they had just experienced the best sleep in existence. "You guys might want to hurry it up, it's already dark out." The silver-haired vampire pointed out the window for emphasis.
The trio made their way to the blood lounge. When they entered, the remaining young adult vampires were lounging about and chatting. "Saffron, Senna," Esper announced. "It's time for Code Rose." Saffron immediately jumped up and squealed, her curly chocolate locks bouncing with excitement. It filled her with joy that Esper was following through with the recommendation. The ecstatic female immediately took command. "Esper, you are in charge of setting up the theater. Senna, you are in charge of getting the tissues, blankets, and pillows. I am going to go get the snacks." Saffron started running towards the door but then stopped and turned around. "Y'all might want to get into some comfortable clothes and maybe something for notes. You are all in for a long night." With that, Saffron ran out. The rest of the group followed suit and started their designated tasks. After returning
Esper tried to toss and turn as her body began to overheat, but something was holding her down. She struggled again and started opening her eyes. Her sleep fogged mind started clearing, and she realized that it wasn't the blanket holding her down. It was 2 heavy masses. Blinking the fog away, Esper looked down at an arm lying across her chest. Her eyes followed the arm up and saw it belonged to Maxim. He shifted around and pulled her closer into his chest. His movements caused a chain reaction of someone tightening around her waist. Esper raised her head as high as she could, and her eyes widened when she saw Seraph resting his head on her stomach and his arms wrapped around her waist and hips. The vampire plopped her head back onto the bean bag lounger and chewed her lip. How did this happen?! When did I fall asleep, and why didn't anyone wake me up!