AN: This is hopefully my first REAL fanfiction…

I looked down at my hands for the third time tonight. Perfectly painted blood-red nails placed on graceful slender fingers. My fingers were attached to pale, delicate looking hands, which were useful extensions from my strong yet slender wrists, encircled in stunning jeweled bracelets. The many precious gems sparkled in the pale candlelight I preferred over the harsh light of modern fluorescent lamps. After a moment, I remembered why the bracelets were on my wrists. I had planned on going to one of the most fashionable parties in all of Night world. Hunter Redfern was having a birthday party, and I had been personally invited. I could not imagine a greater honor. And now, my father has locked me in my room. Moreover, he expects me to stay here while he enjoys the festivities. Hypocrite.

My thoughts are interrupted as "Going Under" by Evanescence starts playing through my cell phone. I flipped it open to check caller ID. If it's my father, I refuse to pick up! The caller idea came up within seconds. Declan Timbernorth it flashed. Oh right, the extremely hot and minimally smart werewolf I had hired to do my dirty worked. I suppose, as his employer, I am expected to pick up the phone. I sigh and press the "answer" key. "What?" I demand.

"Viola? Why aren't you at Hunter's party? I see your father," he says dumbly.

"Really? You call me to remind me about it!" I say icily.

"Huh?" he mutters.

"Look, unless you know of a way to get me out of my bedroom when there are two shape-shifter thugs right outside my door, I'm going to hang up right now." I declared angrily.

"Well, I'm not that smart…but maybe I could get Jewel to help you."

Is everybody at this party but me? I don't even know why I can't be there! Wait a second—that was good advice from Declan. I had to get to that party. "Jewel, okay. Pass my phone to her."

"She's not here," is the dumb response.

"Fine. I'll do everything myself. You can go get drunk now." I hung up the phone before he could say anything else. Why was Jewel avoiding the party? Hunter Redfern's party was going to be the biggest events of the year. Well, aside from the predicted apocalypse. I sit back and dial Jewels number. I never bother with speed-dial. I know so many people, and the people I call changes from day to day.

As I impatiently listen to her phone ring, I ran my eyes across my room to make sure everything was still beautifully in order, starting with my bed. My bed is medieval in style, with its cherry maple frame that supported a dark violet chiffon canopy and its matching violet silk comforter. Next to my bed is a small ebony dresser, with a vase of blood-red roses on it. My walls are a soothing cream, and the floor is covered in jet-black carpet. There are two sets of black double doors in my room. One leads into a long corridor, and the other leads into a multiple room closet. the on remaining wall appears to have a floor length mirror on the inside, but it is really a glass automatic door. The right word will get it to open onto a beautiful balcony with ivy and a cast-iron railing. My father had locked that. Unfortunately, I would be spending my evening alone in this expensive bedroom instead of at the Night world party of the year, unless Jewel answered the phone.

Just then, the phone stopped ringing and I heard a sigh from the other end of the line. "What do you want Viola?"

"Jewel?" I asked, "About time. I need your help."

"Figures," whispered Jewel. "What is it? I could use something to do."

"What, Hunter Redfern's party wasn't good enough for you?"

"It was just a party," said Jewel in a bored tone. "One room had many tables, a buffet, and a lot of place cards. Another had a disco ball, strobe lights, loud music and too many sweaty bodies. The last room guest were in was spacious, with slow music and couples. There really wasn't anything unique about this party. There were much more interesting things going on outside the party, but I don't think you want to hear about that."

"It's not the party that matters; it's that everybody who's somebody in Night world will be there. I need you to get me there." I told her.

"Sounds simple enough. What's the catch?"

"There are two shape shifter thugs outside my bedroom door, and my father locked the door to my balcony. There are two conditions: one, I need you to pull this off with little evidence. Two, please don't break anything."

"Awww, was that a please?" She replied sarcastically. "You've got thirty minutes to make sure you look perfect." Jewel immediately hung up.

I stood up and walked across my room toward the floor-length mirror. The young women who looked back at me had waist length black hair that was styled to hang in waves. She had wide, striking violet eyes, a small delicate nose, high cheekbones, and full lips. She was five feet ten inches tall, extremely pale, and very slender. Around her delicate looking neck were many strands of diamond and pearl necklaces. She was wearing a strapless, knee-length violet dress that complimented her eyes. On her feet were black, diamond-studded stilettos. I knew, if I felt the need, her canines would elongate and form deadly points. She gave me a cold, satisfied smile. I turned, satisfied, and sat down again to wait.

Exactly thirty minutes later, the set of doubles doors that lead to the remainder of my family's mansion sprang open, and Jewel strode in. She was looking particularly stunning, in a tight black tank top, black skinny jeans, and stiletto boots. She had her auburn hair tied up in a tight bun, and her bright green eyes were blazing with mischief. She had a quickly healing scratch on her fine nose, but she was otherwise unmarked. The two shape-shifter thugs lay in a neat pile against the wall. Jewel was one of Night world's fiercest vampire warriors; I hoped I would never be on the receiving end of her wrath. Jewel quickly looked me up and down. She gave an approving nod and said, "You'll want you're black Ferrari, I assume."

"Correct."

Jewel grabbed my jewel-encircled wrist and hurried me along the many stone corridors of my family's medieval-style mansion. My father was a close friend of Hunter Redfern, and, as a result, we were very, very rich. We eventually reached my family's underground ten-car garage. I thanked Jewel for her help and strolled over to my precious Ferrari. I was now free to go as I please.

Fifteen Minutes down small local roads in luxury and I was at the front door to Hunter Redfern's castle. I have always called it a castle because the ancient stone structure is so large and elaborate you cannot see it all without turning your head. I handed the keys to my precious Ferrari to a valet, and demanded he return it in top condition. Then, I confidently strolled across the drawbridge and up to the massive front door where a hulking werewolf thug was posing as a doorman.

"Name please," he said in a bored tone.

"Viola Ringwood, known to most as the Dark Night Princess." I flashed him my cold smile. The guard knew that with one press of a button on my cell phone his life could come to a sudden, complete and utter end. He stepped aside.

I glided across the gleaming hardwood floor of the entry, a feat most would find impossible in heels. But they are not 17-year-old vampire fashionistas. I walked through the crowds of Night world celebrities, politely smiling and nodding the whole way. Unfortunately, there were no witches in this crowd. They had decided to side with the humans and Daybreakers. I also missed Ash and Quinn. They were once powerful, feared vampires, but now the Daybreakers had them too. Their loss, I suppose. They had supposedly found "soulmates". Yeah, right. There is no such thing.

I went to the buffet table, sparing placed delicacies on my plate, and headed off in search of my peers.

Before finding my peers, I bumped into Hunter Redfern himself. I wished him happy birthday, gave him a smile, and prepared to move on, but he wanted something else. I have always believed that he like me best out of the Night Princesses. Perhaps he is disgusted with the fact that he had to resort to mixing his pure vampire blood with the blood of Hecate. I honestly don't see what is wrong with witches, but his favor is power, and I'll take as much as I can get.

"What happened?" I asked when I noticed concern and sorrow written all over his face.

"The Daybreakers have the first wild power. They figured out who it was through our search for her."

"Who? How?" I breathed.

"It was Jez. She killed Lily." The grief deepened in his eyes.

I couldn't believe it. It couldn't be true. "But Jez can't be… She your niece…" I mumbled as my mind went into denial.

"It's something I was never sure of. Now I know. Her mother is human," he stated dully.

"When did this happen?" was the only thing I could say.

"A few months ago. It took my sources awhile to figure out; the blue fire simply wiped all trace of her from this earth."

Now I was speechless.

"Viola, you're the only person I can trust with a task, will you take it?"

"Task?" I asked dumbly.

"Find the Daybreakers and pretend to be one of them. Send me any useful information," Hunter was close to pleading. I wish I had a camera. He must be desperate.

"Pretend to be a Daybreaker. Hmm, I suppose it could be more interesting than shopping and then being locked in my room by my father…" I joked. "Can you make up a story for me? I wasn't supposed to be here tonight."

Hunter Redfern's eyes lit up slightly at my request for mischief. This gave him enough strength to put on a disinterested mask and go about his party as if nothing had happened. Smiling to myself, I left Hunter Redfern's castle and summoned the valet. I quickly drove home and packed some of the more practical articles of clothing, and some food for the drive to Vegas. I would probably find Theirry there.