Within The Night Lies The Masquerade

Julius Morave stalked silently through the dark dimly lit halls of his families below ground estate. Stopping right before an ornate wooden door inlaid with his family's crest, a black raven in combat with the sun. Letting out a small breath he pushed the door open, opening up to a large circular room with shadows dancing across the large wooden table which sat several members of his family. All who wore similarly styled black clothing, and stared at him with an studying gaze.

"What? Did I just walk in smelling like fresh human again?" Julius spoke drawing out the sentence a bit before taking his seat at the end of the table. Looking down towards the bodies that lined either side. "Why was this meeting called so abruptly while I was preparing for negotiations with the Xeres?" He would then add on after his words were left in silence for what seemed like forever.

"That is exactly the reason we decided to abruptly decided to call this meeting Julius." An older looking female said as she stared him down with an angered stare.

"If that is the reason for you trying to stop what I am trying to repair something that you had broke several centuries ago I would call you spiteful, but mother I seriously don't have the time for you to act like an almost one thousand year old child and throw a tantrum because I am trying to make a better life for our family as a whole. So that we can live comfortably for the next several millennia. The game you played when you were head of the family has changed. The game I play is understandably different that I thought you would respect my decisions as the current head of our lovely far beyond saving family." Julius spoke calmly as he sat back in his chair moving his tongue along his fangs slowly.

"The game is not as different as you think it is compared to when I was in charge of things. It has just been enhanced with the evolution of technology." The woman said as she began to swirl the glass she had in front of her which was full of a thick congealed red liquid. Blood. Julius never understood why the woman let the blood congeal, but it was what she liked.

"Also the reason why, is because you decided to set up the meeting without any of our involvement." A older man who had over half of his face horribly burned.

"I don't remember having to need your involvement in something that I decided to do." Julius retorted as he stared them down before letting out a long drawn out sigh. "What I am doing is to secure a definite future for us. As I have already said."

"Maybe...maybe you should have gone about it in a different manner brother." A young woman said from the opposite end of the table as she stared at Julius with a soft look on her face.

"Maybe. But if I wasn't so eager to get such a thing out of the way I would have considered it...but this is the first time in seven hundred years that we have had a chance this big present itself." Julius explained as he slowly stood from his chair as he began to slowly walk around the table.

"But I believed that it was a chance worthy of taking and if I hadn't have decided to take it. I had a feeling that something like this wouldn't happen again." Julius then continued as he stopped before a decanter full of chilled blood.

"And what if you get attacked?" The burned man asked while Julius poured himself a glass of blood and took a small sip from it as he visibly enjoyed his drink.

"Because Ryzen, if anyone would be stupid enough to attack me. I would surely be smart enough to defend myself in the process." Julius said before taking another sip from his glass before setting it down.

He was used to this kind of back and forth banter. It was one of the reasons he decided to the meeting behind their backs. It was these kinds of decisions the family had a leader to begin with. Because only the leader would look at it from the angles that wouldn't end with a bloodbath.

Sighing Julius looked to the members of his council before he turned and took several steps towards the door. "I will be back with news so we can discuss further movement to a unity between our two clans" Julius spoke before he walked through the door leaving them in the room.

Walking back through the hall he rubbed his temple as a headache was beginning to swell within his head. The old generation definitely had their own ways to do things, which usually ended up with blood feuds. Or worse, Clan wars.

He just hoped that they eventually saw things in the same frame of mind as he did. Looking for the way that would result in a higher chance for their kind to exist into the coming future.

Julius pulled out a silver pocket watch with a golden M inscribed into it, as he clicked it open checking the time before closing it heading to his office. He had a few moments to spare before leaving for what had to be one of the most important meetings he would ever have to attend in his life.

Opening the door to his office he entered the dark room standing in the entrance in silence for a moment letting his eyes adjust to the darkness before switching the lights on and looking around. He didn't remember turning the lights in his office off before he went to the meeting. Staying on alert, he took slow careful steps to his desk before slowly opening the middle compartment to see a cigar on top of a letter.

Smiling softly to himself he picked up the cigar and the letter as he closed his eyes and slowly inhaled the scent that was on the letter before his smile spread even wider.

"You definitely have an interesting way of showing support for my actions Sister" He said in a low tone before lighting the cigar and taking a long drag from it before letting out a long inhale smiling even wider. "A Cuban classic."

Authors Note: Here it is. The beginning of a story. And I cannot wait to see what this journey brings forth.