The dusky light of the grand ballroom hid a multitude of sins. From the lady whose companion thought no one noticed his hand hidden within the folds of her skirt to shady dealing going on between Lau and some gentleman trader from the Americas. His hand rested openly upon Ran -Mao's shapely bottom, causing polite society to turn its eye from them.
The Earl Phantomhive nodded absently at cheerful greetings as he made his way across the room. He hated these affairs these days. Dances and social gatherings just weren't the same since… his heart leapt when he saw the color red out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he almost greeted the figure, but the smile that had been tugging at his lips withered and died as he realized this person was not his beloved aunt. Curiosity guiding him, he moved closer as he took note of the other's clothes, a wide brimmed hat and oversized duster covering a vest and trousers all colored in a bright and cheerful red. He was certain that Madam Red would have been tickled to have seen it had she been there. Red was the color that reminded him of her and of cherries. Like that cherry on top of a sweet desert, she added a bit of saucy tartness that made life all the sweeter. He wondered where she had gotten off to and when she would return.
"Behave yourself tonight and keep your eyes sharp; there is something quite odd in the air around here," a young Isaac Hellsing told his red clad companion.
"Yes, master," was the cocky reply along with half bow and a smirk.
In the shadows an admirer looked on, 'Oooh I could really grow to like this one…' Grell thought as he tossed his long red hair back over his shoulder, his deep green eyes never leaving the vampire. His very body tingled with the thought of the wanton slaughter that could ensue if only this magnificent creature were to cut loose and indulge his true nature for a bit. There could be rivers of blood flowing through the halls of the mansion and he could reap a month's worth of souls in a single night. The thought left him light headed, almost swooning. And he wasn't bad looking either, though for personal preference Grell still preferred Sebastian for his more lurid slaughter and sex fantasies.
To one side of the room, behind the buffet, the Phantomhive family butler also had his eye on the man in red. The fact that the marks on his hand showed even through his thick, white glove gave him some small measure of security, whoever bound that one had sealed him with more than promises and blood. It also meant that whatever type of demon or creature he was, he had to be hellishly strong to have survived it.