Disclaimer - Richelle Mead owns Vampire Academy. I own the idea.

Prologue

DPOV

I smoothed my suit and adjusted my mask. Various other royals, either Moroi or dhampir, mingled around me, chatting and gossiping around the multiple refreshment stands full of snacks and drinks. I stood near such a table now, searching the crowd for someone I knew. It had been someone's brilliant idea to have a masquerade ball inviting all the royals, and now no one could recognize each other.

I perhaps shouldn't have thought that.

"Dimitri!" I heard a feminine voice chime, then I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Lady Tasha," I said, acknowledging her but with her royal title. It wasn't her full royal title, which was Lady Natasha Ozera, but she'd specifically requested I'd call her Tasha. I'd agreed to it, as I knew how annoying it was to be called Your Majesty every day.

"Just call me Tasha," she said.

"We're in public," I argued.

"Still," she dismissed. We were silent for a moment, then she spoke. "You know my nephew, Christian?" I nodded my affirmative, and she continued. "He's somehow managed to score the Dragomir princess - you know, Eric's daughter, Vasilisa."

I raised my eyebrow. That was impressive, particularly for someone of Christian's royal rank. Especially with the shadow of what his parents had done. There was no way no one who lived in the Moroi world didn't know what Lucas and Moira Ozera had done in their quest to attain immortality.

Princess Vasilisa Sabine Rhea Dragomir was one of the most important royals around. She was the only Dragomir left after Eric, Rhea, and Andre Dragomir had died in a Strigoi attack, and as far as High Queen Tatiana was concerned, she was a precious commodity who should only mingle with someone of similar rank. Just imagining how Tatiana had reacted to Vasilisa talking with Christian made my day.

"There they are," Tasha said, nodding towards a staircase, where a raven-haired boy and a platinum-blond girl stood at the top. A hush fell over the the crowd of royals, and they arranged themselves into neat lines. All in respect for the Dragomir princess. They were all trying to impress her, to make an alliance with her. Word was that she was powerful. Sheep, all of them. Didn't matter if they were royal or not. Moroi were attracted to power like bees to honey, and since most weren't powerful enough,

They descended, and I got my first complete view of them both. Princess Vasilisa was wearing a floor-length formal gown with a skirt of silk and chiffon layers that moved and fluttered around her as she strode forward. The fabric was the same jade as her eyes. She wore a necklace of emeralds, which glistened upon her throat as she moved. Matching emeralds covered the dress's belt, and bracelets completed the display. Her blond hair was worn long, brushed out to gleaming, platinum perfection, an aura unto itself. Her mask was white, a few emeralds and jades studding the pale fabric, the precious stones forming swirling patterns that brought out the jade of her eyes.

Christian walked beside her, a sharp contrast with his black hair and dark suit. His hair was so tousled it looked like he hadn't brushed it. The resemblance couldn't be more obvious. A pale jade green and black. Light and Dark.

Behind them a lone girl walked. She was wearing a black dress, a dress that hugged her curvy chest. The dark tulle might have hugged her upper body, but it cascaded from her waist onwards, flowing in a wave. Her waist-length deep brown hair, worn loose, trailed after her. The half-sleeved garment didn't cover much, clearly designed to show off her tanned skin.

Without Tasha's tip, I would never have guessed that the blonde was Princess Vasilisa. I faintly recognized Christian, but I had no idea who the exotic girl was.

The music starting dragged my attention back to Princess Vasilisa Dragomir and Christian Ozera. They made the customary first dance, and the way her skirt flared out was brilliant. My attention, however, was pulled away from Princess Vasilisa and Lord Christian, to the girl in the black dress.

She didn't join the Princess in the dance. Instead, she made her way over to a sandy-haired boy. He was standing by one of the refreshment tables, and she grabbed a finger sandwich. He said something to her which made her laugh.

The music finished, and Princess Vasilisa and Lord Christian disengaged from the traditional dance pose. They linked their arms, though, making it clear he was her companion tonight.

Royals fawned over Vasilisa when both she and Christian started to walk towards the dark haired girl. It took them several moments for them to reach her and the boy, but when they did, it became clear that Vasilisa and Christian were focusing the majority of their attention on the girl and the boy.

"Dimka?" Tasha questioned from my side. I got the feeling that it wasn't the first time she'd called me.

"Who is she?" I asked.

"Who?"

"That girl that came down with Princess Vasilisa."

"I don't know," she shrugged. "She could have been anyone I know, with the hair."

"Excuse me," I coughed. "I have to do something."

I slipped away from her side before she could argue. And I did have something to do: ask the mysterious girl to dance, and hopefully learn something about her.

I reached her, just in time to hear her say, "Maybe we should leave Liss and Chris alone, don't you think?" to the sandy haired boy next to her. Vasilisa and Christian were sharing mortified looks. The sandy haired boy and the girl were looking amused.

"Am I interrupting something?" I asked.

The four of them turned towards me. "No," the sandy haired boy said.

I turned towards the girl, who was currently frowning at Vasilisa. "May I have this dance?" I asked, holding my hand out to her.

Both girls twirled towards me, and Christian said, "Who are you asking?"

I looked at the dark haired girl.

I'd never had to fear rejection before - princesses would do anything for me if it meant an alliance, and commoners fell to their feet when I asked them to do something. However, I knew she could, and maybe would, reject me. She had the rights to do it.

So I was shocked when she put her hand in mine, then started to walk towards the dance floor.

The music changed from a fast-paced waltz into a slow minuet, and we joined the group of the dancers on the dance floor.

"You're beautiful," I told her, pulling her closer towards my body. As close as propriety allowed. "Who are you?"

I felt her stiffen against me. "Why did you choose me, and not Lissa?" she asked. "People usually suck up to her more. I'm nobody next to her."

So she was a minor royal. But her words... Vasilisa was one of those royals that even royals were afraid of, if not intimated by. She could also be a pretty major royal, but thought less of herself.

"Because Princess Vasilisa is taken, and I don't think Lord Christian would appreciate my approaching her."

"Lissa, call her Lissa."

We spent the rest of the dance in silence. I opened my mouth to say something to her, but the dancers swept her away, leaving me at the edge of the floor.

Around me, the music continued, a contrast to my roaring mind.

I hadn't even gotten her name.

Updated 12/3/2024