A Dangerous Dance

The big decorated doors in front of us creaked and groaned as they opened inwards. The crowd I was with shuffled and murmured uneasily. The smell of fear, excitement and nervousness permeated the air around me. I loved it. It was all I could do to not take a deep breathe in and smile. One by one the fidgeting turned to walking as the 100 people all started slowly walking inside the great hall. Long elegant dresses swished against the floor, and the clacking of heels was sharp against the still silent crowd. Everyone knew why they were here, but no one knew what was going to happen.

You see, it was tradition for 100 of the countries young men and women to gather here. The notice on the cities boards only ever said it was a ball, with one lucky person winning a prize. Despite the fact no one ever came back, the Count Von Derbaunt was no stranger to the kingdom as being the wealthiest family on the continent. Their prestige stretched across the yellow seas and beyond. It didn’t matter no one had seen any of the Von Derbaunt family in decades. They ran their mini kingdom to prosperous riches from behind the walls of their keep.

As people streamed into the dance hall, a band started playing a slow but peppy tune from the corner. Huge tapestries bearing the Von Derbaunt crest hung from the rafters fifty feet above, and a fire roared in every one of the eight fireplaces around the edges of the room. Wait staff flitted among the crowd, offering champagne and wine to the guests. Slowly, conversation started buzzing as the alcohol took hold, and people’s nerves eased. A few men started gathering around the hors d’oeuvres table, eying the groups of women quickly forming around the floor. Rumor was the best dancer got picked as the winner, though whether that was true or not no one knew. What a rumor to start I thought to myself.

Eventually, the band, sensing people were at ease, started playing a waltz. Ears and spirits perked up at the sound, and several couples formed and started swaying over the marble tiles. My gaze flickered around the room, and my eyes landed on a girl a few dozen feet from me. Her green eyes met mine for a moment, red curls framed the outline of her angular face. She flirted a quick smile at me before fingering the necklace laying over her collar bones. I almost felt my face blush as I looked her up and down. A dark green dress fit tight over her torso, tantalizingly low in the neck and back, but loose and flowy over her hips and legs. What a coincidence I thought, I picked a perfect night for a green suit. The fabric of my suit hugged my muscular body as I walked confidently over to her, brushing my brown hair out of my forehead as I walked. She looked back at me and blushed when she realized I was walking towards her, and I didn’t even try to hide the smirk on my face. A smirk that quickly vanished as a man stepped in front of me, almost stepping on my toes. “Sorry sir but I saw her first” he grinned back at me, eyes shooting a disdainful look that made my blood boil. I didn’t change my course, and as he held out his hand for her, I grabbed him by the shoulder. I felt him jump as I growled into his ear “move”. Just a single word, too low for anyone else to hear, but I could feel the man crumple under my tone. He stood there for a moment, a flash of pain across his face as I squeezed his shoulder harder, before he mumbled something and walked sheepishly off. I changed the dark look in my eyes to one of joy as I grinned down at the woman, who was blushing harder than ever. I held out my hand and she smiled, not meeting my gaze as she took it. Her hand was cool and soft, and I resisted the urge to smell it. As we walked to the dance floor, it seems no one noticed the doors thudding closed, or the sound of chains being wrapped around the handles.

“My name is Matthew” I said as we started twirling around. I’ve done these dances so many times before that it was second nature. I could build a house of cards as I danced around the table at this point. “Kelly” she said, finally looking into my eyes and smiling. “What a pretty name” I said, returning her smile as she followed my lead. We moved smoothly through the crowd, feet flirting around each other in perfect sync. You’d think for knowing this was a dance some of these people would have put in more effort to learn how. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I watched another couple fumbling over the easiest dance of the night. “What do you think this is all about?” Kelly asked, gesturing with her head towards everything. “I have no idea, but I love dancing, and I love a great meal so why not come?” I said with enthusiasm, hoping she wouldn’t notice there was no meal table. “Where are you from? Since you’ve apparently laid claim to me we might as well get to know each other” she said with a smile. Gods, the way her neck tightens when she smiles… “Actually I’m from here” I return. “Oh really? That must be exciting” her arms tightened around my body as if she was relieved to know I wasn’t some tramp off the streets who got lucky enough to be picked.

I took a peek at the clock on the wall, “watch this” I told her, before the tapestries all started raising up into the rafters. Her eyes widened with joy and amazement as flower petals began falling down, the cries of joy echoing from the other patrons. She looked around, eyes wide in amazement, before she jerked her gaze back to mine. “Wait, how did you-“ I tightened my grip on her waist and hand and continued the dance. Fear flickered across her face as we moved, the smell of it making my stomach growl. “Do you know what hunger feels like Kelly?” I ask, staring into her eyes “I mean real hunger?” her gaze was unwavering and her eyes wide as she shook her head, red hair swaying across her face. Almost too pretty I thought, before my stomach growled again. I grinned, teeth flashing, “I do. Not your normal every day hunger, but do you know how long 5 years is to wait? You’d want your meal to be as beautiful, elegant, and tender as possible.” A look of horror and recognition formed on her face as she started to piece it together. She whimpered as my grip squeezed, bones almost cracking in her hand.

“w-why?” she asked, shooting looks around the room silently pleading for help. No one noticed. “The meat is so much sweeter when I do this” I whispered into her ear, grinning and running my tongue over her earlobe. She shuddered and leaned away, exposing her neck. Beads of sweat had started gathering, and I leaned in and ran my tongue up her neck to her jaw, relishing the squirms as she struggled to get away. “You see, for centuries I just hunted. One a day, a few a week, but it was never enough. I soon figured out that every 5 years, my appetite is at its highest, and I tend to enjoy my meal a lot more when it’s all at once.” She audibly whimpered loudly, drawing stares from several couples around. We had stopped dancing at this point, people shooting us concerned or annoyed glances as they moved around us. “As for the dance, the fanfare, all of this” I gestured around, “Long story very short, I got tired of hunting. Once I had brought myself up to the Von Derbaunt name that people now know, I no longer had to hunt, and when my meat is filled with wine…” my voice trailed off as I stared at her pulsing neck. I swallowed, the movement making her flinch in my arms. “Filled with wine and joy, quickly turned to fear and terror… the flavor is… incredible.” I laughed as she screamed, turning the gaze of everyone around us. Fangs protrude out of my mouth as I buried my face in her neck, sweet blood filling my mouth as her scream turned to a gurgle. I looked up at the crowd, air hissing and foaming out of the wound, frothing and turning pink as her body started convulsing. I raise my arms to the side, “DINNER IS SERVED” I yelled, almost drowned out by the screams as everyone rushed towards the doors. I laughed and dropped Kelly’s twitching corpse, a wet thud and crack as her head hit the tile. The screams echoed through the hall as the band continued playing, averting their eyes as blood spray started filling the air and I satisfy my hunger.

Its 4 years later now, and I grin at the poster on the board. “Von Derbaunt ball!” I heard a girl squeal. “Has it been that long already?” She could barely contain her excitement as she bounced up and down. A small crowd had gathered as people read the poster. I smiled at the squealing girl, “you think you stand a chance?” I asked smugly, “Let’s see you dance!” I took her arm and we floated around the town square, her laughter and giggles carrying through the cold air. Her breath fogged into mine as I leaned in and whispered “I’ll see you at the dance.”