The car horn outside my house made me jump as I was putting on the little bit of makeup my mother instead that I should wear under my mask. I gazed at myself in the mirror seeing a young woman with long wavy white hair that reached just under her butt. My bangs went over my forehead to the left creating a beautiful frame for my features. My eyebrows have always been perfect without any shaping necessary for them. My hazel eyes stood out from my semi tan complexion because I'm outside all the time and anytime I can be. I put a light grey and white shadow on my eyes to make them stand out a little bit more. I put a dark black eyeliner on as well to make my eyes pop. I have a small nose that fits inside my face like it was molded just for me. My piercing on the right side of my nose glittering purple in the light. My black lipstick stained my lips with a shiny coat making them look glossy.
I pulled on the masquerade mask my mother gave me that somehow fit me perfectly and was blood red and black that covered the top half of my face entirely. It had small horns pertruding from the top of it. Giving me a devious look about my face.
I stood up to pull my dress on. It was off my right shoulder with only a small strap two fingers wide on the left to hold it up. It hugged every curve my figure had to offer with a slit down the side to show off my left leg that had a spiderweb rose tattoo on my thigh. The dress was a beautiful mixture of blood red and black. It felt silky against my skin. I stepped into the black converse heels that were in the box on my bed making me three inches taller than my normal height of five feet two inches. They hugged my ankle just the way I needed them to in order to walk in these heels.
I gazed at myself in the mirror until I heard Ash barking. I quickly made my way down the steps from my room to the living room where my family was as a knock struck the door. My family looking me over as my Papa opens the door to a butler that leads each person out one by one to a limo slowly. The butler in a suit and tie, who also wore a masquerade mask, but it was black and simple.
"Alexis, if you would fetch Ash's leash we have been asked to bring the delightful pup with us this evening where she will be cared for and be in your room at the end of the events," a man's heavy voice spoke asserting orders. "Wait here. A small car will be here to fetch you and the pup." With that he closed the door to my house and got into the limo driving away with my family.
It felt werid not to be with them this time. The burning on my tattoo had finally stopped and with it, however, it changed designs. It went from a rose to three small bats colored completely black. Keeping it hidden from my family has been a challenge along with the other tattoos I have that they don't know about.
Ash started growling at the door. Then a knock came softly. My heart started to pound so hard I thought it was going to jump out of my chest. When I opened the door a butler similar to the one before appeared in the doorway. I quickly grabbed Ash to keep her from attacking attaching her leash and patting her head to signal it was ohkay.
"This way," was all he said in a husky voice opening his hand towards me. I took it and Ash stopped growling reluctant to follow but doing so anyway because of the leash. He shut my door behind us as he lead me down to a limo with completely tinted windows so you could not see inside. He opened the door and motioned my entrance. I had Ash jump in first then I climbed in behind her.
Sitting across from me in the car facing towards me was a man who felt familiar and a woman with blonde almost flawless white hair pulled into a bun onto her head. Ash was at my feet watching them closely until the woman handed her a bone to chew on. Ash's attention fixated on the bone. The limo began moving and I looked out the window as to not look at the two infront of me.
"It's been a while, Alexis, you look nice and grown-up," came a southern female voice I was trying to place until the memory of the night I got my mark came into complete focus. Her cinnamon smell coming and going softly.
"Anastasia and Derek, what do I owe the pleasure?" I sneered. I watched as we passed through town towards the gates to The Castle.
"Do play nice. We are your hosts this evening and you have found someone's attention seeing as how you have three bats instead of a rose," Derek chuckled at me in response. I looked away from the window at that moment searching their faces.
"Who changed it?" I inquired knowing I'm not supposed to but seeing as how they already are watching me so close I couldn't help myself. Anastasia reached over and placed a golden skeleton key into my hand with a shake of her head.
"If we told you that where would all the fun go?" Derek pouted. I was annoyed at the noninformation I was being given.
"That key is for your room and as you can see a gold chain has been added so you can wear it without the worry of losing it. The butler will show you to your room after the ball. Your Ash will be waiting in your room and you have a little doggy area attached so she can play. Do look forward to this evening darling," Anastasia spoke as the car door opened in front of a set of steps leading up to an enormous Transylvanian castle. I had missed the gorgeous scenery driving up trying to get information. I quickly put the key around my neck as Derek exited the car. The butler held his hand out for me to take it as I stepped out of the car ever so effortlessly.
They had already vanished when I stepped out. Ash jumping down next to me with her bone in her mouth. I gazed at the gorgeous architecture of this entrance before me. Gargoyles sat a top pillars lining the steps all the way up to the beautiful red oak doors. I looked behind me over the limo to see stunning cherry blossom trees lining the yard all the way up the hill. Japanese maple trees were all around the castle. Bushes of different sculptures were all around.
"I will be your escort this evening if you will give me your arm ma'am and please lead Ash closely to you or I will have to take her leash, unfortunately," came the husky voice with brown sad eyes of the butler. It startled me out of my wondering gaze and to him. I took his outstretched elbow and allowed him to lead me into the gigantic castle out of Dracula's very own movie.
The inside of the door was met with gorgeous hardwood pine floors and tan walls with massive paintings everywhere. They were all just random landscapes of all kinds of places you could dream. It was very easy to get lost inside. He took me to an elevator that he used a key to unlock and once inside I was met with red velvet carpet and glass overlooking the massive garden. It was breathtaking. I noticed he had to put his key into the elevator that unlocked several more floors afterwards. He pressed the bat button amoungst all the floors. I saw roses, cats, dogs, tea, and so many other buttons before the elevator doors opened. He pulled me out of the elevator into a huge hallway with doors lining the walls. He took me to the very end of the hallway where a set of double doors were and stopped. The bat symbols covering the red oak doors. All the doors were oak, but this one was red and had bats all over it.
"If you will please open the doors with your key this is the room you are assigned for the duration of the festival this year. I will give you a tour of your living space," the butler spoke as I took the key from around my neck. The skeleton key also had the form of a bat at the end of it. I slide it into the key hole softly and turned it hearing a small click. I pulled the key out and place it around my neck as the butler opened one of the doors, holding it open and motionting me inside. I was immediately met with a fireplace on my right and it was gorgeous. It had ivory stone cuts all around it in figures of wolves howling at a moon you couldn't see. In front of me a grey couch that wrapped around the fireplace. Placed in between was a small round coffee table. In the center being a vase filled with black roses. There are paintings of sunsets all around the room.
I saw the butler standing next to a green door waiting patiently. The green door was direct across from where I stood at the entrance. I walked around the couch and as I did so noticed two other doors spaced out to my left. First a single grey door similar to the green one I was walking to and the second a black set of double doors directly across from the fireplace and from the left of where I entered the room.
"This is your tea area where anyone who enters is allowed to sit and speak with you. No one can go beyond this room. Do you understand so far?" The Butler informed me.
"I thought we aren't allowed anyone in our rooms?" I questioned.
"You aren't. This green door is Ash's area. Please follow me," he spoke leading me through the door into an indoor dog playground equipped with fake grass and all. I saw on the right side a bed the size of a full mattress with a ramp to get on it. On the left of it, two dog bowls are placed inside a black frame. Connected to one was constant running water and on the other was a dog food feeder. Above is listed the two times food would be delivered to the bowl for Ash. The butler took the leash off of Ash and hung it next to the bowls. Big picture windows looked out over the beautiful forest area that met the garden. We were looking down on the treetops with how high up we were.
"Is she going to be alone in here?" I questioned. The answer from before swirling in my brain, but I was to curious about my pup to press more questions to take away my confusion.
"No, my assistant will play with her in here and make sure she is groomed and taken care of. You are welcome in here as you see fit, but the puppy must stay inside this room at all times, or security will expel her," he spoke with such sadness in his voice with the last part that I knew that met kill my precious Ash. At that moment a young girl about ten years old with a mask on appeared out of a side door. She came straight up to me and the butler and bowed in her jeans and t-shirt. Her black shoes stuck together as she stood. Her blue eyes shinning through. Her hair red as it was pulled back into a pony tail.
"This is my assistant that will be taking care of the pup. If you need her at any time through that grey door on the left is a bell. Ring it and she will attend to you immediately. What is the pups name?" He spoke with such delight in his voice allowing me to catch that he valued this ten-year-old girl a very lot.
"Her name is Ash. Thank you for caring for her," I spoke directly to the girl who bowed again and started petting Ash immediately. I saw Ash became very fond of the girl already.
"When you are ready I will be waiting in the tea room to finish your tour," the butler spoke leaving me alone with the girl. I noted I would speak with her later and followed the butler out into the tea room after giving Ash a pet.
The butler stood next to the dark grey door awaiting me to cross the room. As I reached him, he opened the door to reveal a full kitchen and dining area. He didn't go inside instead he just held the door. Inside was a lady in a chef's uniform except for the mask she wore.
"I am Hilda and I will be your chef. Anytime you are hungry just come in here and I'll make you something right up," She spoke in a booming voice. I noticed a door on the wall on the left side and she followed my gaze.
"That door leads to her living quarters for her to rest. See the bell on the side of the door? You are to press that anytime you want food or beverage. Do not get them yourself or Hilda will be offended," the butler spoke giving Hilda an affectionate look. Then he shut the door motioning to the black set of doors set away from everything else. I noted that both doors with the bell lead into the same area leading me to believe the girl and Hilda shared the same space when not needed.
My attention was brought back to the doors the butler was opening and my jaw hit the floor as I gazed inside. Inside was a gorgeous master bedroom with black sheets and black pillowcases. The frame was a four-poster bed frame made out of redwood and stained a dark red color. At the footboard was a chest with the same dark red color to it. The nightstand was pure wood and the same shade as if cut from the same tree. I had a fireplace directly across from the foot of the bed to heat the room. On the right side were two sliding glass doors that lead out to a balcony. The currents a dark red color fastened back allowing the light in. On the left side were two separate doors and between them was a wooden desk. The butler opened the first door showing a huge bathroom and the other showing a walk-in closet full of clothes of all different kinds.
"That concludes our tour if you will follow me it is time for everyone to meet inside the ballroom for the opening," the butler spoke holding my bedroom door open for me to exit into the tea room.
"Can I know the assistant's name and yours if both of you will be seeing a lot of me for these coming days?" I asked searching the butler's brown eyes.
"Her name is Grace. You met Hilda and I am Brian. Only inside your room can you use our names or you will get us in trouble. Please, my wife and daughter, have entirely too much on their hands as is," Brian pleaded to me and I nodded. I saw him vividly relax and allowed him to lead me to the ballroom.