Chapter 1
The parties started at midnight, when the moon was swallowed by darkness.
Jewels glittered upon the throats of the ladies, while young couples with strands of coloured hair dnaced. They were all set in motion by the rolling beat of the music. Wine glasses filled with vibrant coloured liquid tinkled fragilely in sweaty hands. Light bounced off the glass walls and ricochet down marble hallways. Everywhere there were voices, some shrieking and wailing, some chattering away like a bird. There were all kinds of people. The vampires sipping away at a strange red liquid too thick to be wine; the fair folk with their outstretched wings; the werewolves dancing to the music while light glinted on their outstretched, claw-tipped fingers.
A group of this strange assortment of people seemed to be concentrated around one man. At first glance, he didn't seem out of the ordinary, just a regular human in party clothes. However, his glowing amber cat eyes betrayed him as a warlock. His shock of black hair was spiked up with glitter like a disco ball, and a dark circle of makeup surrounded his eyes. He was tall, and thin like a rail, his skin a light tone of gold.
"Magnus, maybe we should get out of here." A dark-haired boy with ice blue eyes had to raise his voice to be heard over the party. Dark, thickly-drawn tattoos swirled down the back of his hand, down his arm, and disappeared down his black T-shirt. He was slouched up to a pillar, looking slightly uncomfortable at the people milling around the crowded space.
Magnus smiled. "Chillax, Alec." His said in a leisurely drawl, "you should enjoy the party."
Alec gritted his teeth impatiently. "Don't you remember, we have to get back to the Institute! The important visitor."
"We've got loads of time." A girl with the same ebony hair as Alec smiled winningly at him, "plus, I like large parties."
"Isabelle, you know I hate parties." Alec almost moaned.
Isabelle just smiled smugly back, knowing that she had won this particular argument.