Creatures slowly came to life under the light of the moon. Shaking off the haze of a days sleep they stretched and moved in the darkness. The hunt was beginning for some, the game of hide and seek ultimately ending with only one victor. Arthur Dean paused and looked out into the glen on his property. The soft grass seemed so inviting, a pillow for him to sleep. But he kept moving North, back the way he came a few hours ago. This ritual was second nature now, the walk from beast to man.
 
He prowled these woods like most these creatures, hungry with a pit in his stomach. He sought the comfort of the darkness, and maybe even a helpless victim to tease. It felt like ages since he'd felt the thrill of game on the run. Their fearful hearts racing, blood pounding in their ears, all a part of the game he played. He turned on the lake and saw the moons bathing light wash over the lapping oval pool. 
 
The world a buzz with sound and calls from every which direction he paced along the silt of the bank. The lake stretched for along while, looking at the reflective mirror made him smile. As much as he missed the noise of hunting, the quiet was where he belonged. The undisturbed water did not ripple at his approach and stayed its pretty eye up at the starry sky.
 
The halo around the moon pulsed under its children. That eternal ring he could see on the foggiest of nights. Stepping away from the banks and back into the trees dark undergrowth he felt the wind sweep the ground. It carried the scent of winter, the cold sharp air with the fresh falloff leaves carried far.
 
But another smell was traveling tonight.
 
Taking a deep breath, Arthur caught it again. Pungent and faint, it was a stink he knew all to well. A feral growl sounded deep in his throat as he turned, daring whoever tailed him to show themselves.
 
"No need to go all scary vampire on me Arthur." A hurt voice sighed from the trees.
 
"Hiding and sneaking doesn't exactly incur warm feelings. What do you want Alexandria?" His control firmly in place the small white figure dropped from a nearby tree and cocked its head.
 
Large water nymph eyes looked at him, only coming up just below his shoulder she smiled sheepishly. Dressed in a white gingham gown that touched the floor Alexandria placed her small hands on her hips in protest.
 
"It's Alex now. And I've been looking for you. The festivities are about to start and Victor told me to make sure you don't skip out like last year."
 
Arthur growled and crushed a branch under the heel of his boot. Meddlesome Victor Mason, head of the Counsel and overseer of all supernatural beings had made it his mission to become Arthur's handler. Having to put up with the over stuffed shirt for the past three hundred years wasn't bad enough, now he had turned his own manor into an event hall. These "festivities" as Alex called them often forced him out of his home.
 
"Come on, it's not that bad and who knows with the special guests this evening you may grow to like this years gala." Alex smiled as she walked beside Arthur.
 
Her long white hair swept along her waist with celebration. He kept his walk to the north back to the manor with the small child-like girl in tow.
 
"He wanted to come get you himself but he figured it be safer to send me." Alex smiled and skipped a few feet ahead, her assumption all to correct.
 
Mason would have crossed a very deep line in regulation by coming into his domain and he knew it. No matter how much he wished he could the forest was and would always be Dean Territory. Alexandria and few others had clearance here. He didn't want them to see him so primal, and undone under the madness of his beastly urges. His daughter Olivia was absolutely forbidden from these parts, in fear he attack her by mistake or worse something else would.
 
" Why so moody? It isn't like you have to wear this silly frock." Pulling at the gingham gown Arthur couldn't suppress a chuckle.
 
"It's suits you." Not the answer she wanted to hear.
 
"I will have you know I once wore robes of silk, now I'm forced to this form for who knows how long." Alex grumbled as the path to the manor lay before them.
 
He stopped, standing in the shadow of the overgrown trees and looked. Dean manor was ablaze with lights in every window. Servers and guests moved through them like shadows, even from this distance Arthur could hear the merrymaking and frolic. He felt in his heart a pang, a wish to be lost in the festivities. But he banished the idea, knowing all to well that was impossible. 
 
"Olivia is having a grand ol' time making arrangements. Last time I saw she was working in the ballroom." Alexandria flittered ahead to the house to stir up some sort of trouble. 
 
Arthur hung back, taking a good last look at the shaded forest. In its peeking moonlight he heard the distinct sound of rustling, a creature poised to pounce. Back into the light he went again, leaving the animals to do their dance.
 
〰〰〰
 
The food was ruined, and it was all Fiona's fault. Olivia looked over the table, her eyes narrowing at every dish. She'd given the soon-to- be ex chef a list of things to make, all sensitive to each others diets. Tonight would be a night of good humor, that is if no one ate anyone else. She looked back up at the chef, who watched her watch the table. Fiona's white uniform did not match her usual style, but tonight was special as she was all to aware of.
 
The community was a strange one without a shadow of a doubt. All coexisting is a new thing to all branches, and she would be damned if it was all jeopardized by one foul tempered cook. Countless weeks culminated tonight, the first time in who knew how long that all the representatives of each race would be present. This gala often simply invited vampires such as Olivia and her father, but this year somehow the impossible had happened.
 
She scanned each tray again and sighed. She'd begged to be placed in charge, knowing her father would be useless. The idea of other cultures, faces an people made Olivia feel as light as a bubble. But with that light airy feeling a sense of dread. Years of discord depressed all of them, tonight needed to go off without a hitch.
 
Picking at the tray of moon cakes she tasted one. It was a delicacy amongst the Nightly Faes, with one swallow Olivia nearly gagged. She used butter instead of moon dew, the highly regarded meal was now a sugary snack.
 
"Quit your belly aching child, I know what I'm doing!" Reading the facial expression Fiona stood arms crossed over her large chest.
 
A thick woman she had only been employed a few short years, and at this rate it wouldn't be much longer. Her curly black hair flecked with grays usual worn in thick braids lay flattened and under her hat for the event.
 
"This isn't the recipe I told you to go by." Olivia wiping her lips with a napkin and looking at the spread.
 
"I've been cooking before you were born lil missy. I think I know what's what."
 
Olivia growled but didn't say anything, she couldn't change anything now. Guests were arriving already and her father was nowhere insight. She knew he had gone to the forest the night before, and wouldn't be back until later. He didn't like people in their home on a good day, parties were a strict no.
 
The high ceiling hall was a light with fresh flowers and decorations for the nights festivities. The chandeliers dusted and the floors buffed to a white gleam everything was perfect. She'd always been a stickler for detail, and tonight was no different. Tonight this Gala brought all walks of supernatural under the moon to socialize and be together. Mr. Mason, an off again on again family friend of the Deans always hosted. He had suggested to Olivia's father that they have it on his property since it was the most secluded and protected fortress known in the world.
 
It had taken Mason years to wear him down into saying yes, and now at the 251st annual Gala under the Moon Olivia had her hands full.
 
Checking her watch she needed time to prepare herself for the night. Bypassing Fiona and a drove of servants to get to her side of the manor to het dressed she inspected all the while. The halls were mopped, dusted, and glimmered as she walked to her room. The maids all kept themselves busy with their work, that or answer to her. Olivia had a bit of a temper, as her father always noted.
 
"Your mothers temper and disposition." He would always joke.
 
Opening her room door and quickly laying down on the bed she reached for the frame beside it. It was an old red frame with cracked glass, the picture well faded but the faces  and a bit of the background. The noise outside her room slowly faded as she willed the door to close and lock. She needed to get dressed, but in a moment she took a deep breath and relaxed. She wouldn't need to make an appearance until midnight, which gave her nearly four full hours to prepare. The frame overhead she studied it with precision.
 
Almost 100 years had passed since this photo was taken. The back drop was her old home in Tarry Town. It was a sweet little place to live, she remembered chasing cats through the streets and catching fireflies in the tall grass by the cemetery. It had been their backyard to be precise and as she ran a finger along the edge she remembered that day.
 
Her father calling her for the picture to be taken, her mother scooping her up in her arms. It was strange how many things faded, but memories remained fresh against time. She stared hard at the picture until it came back into focus. Her mothers laughing face holding her then toddler like body. Her father over to the left, his dark brown hair askew in his faces but still you could see a laugh on his lips. His hair had striking grays now but he still held that square chiseled jaw and face. His dark blue eye never leaving them, he was so much warmer then.
 
Putting the picture away Olivia sighed and sat up again. How long had it been since they had talked, since they had enjoyed each others company? It wasn't that they didn't get along, they were just so different from one another now a days. Even more so with time did she see the growing void, it scared her.
 
Standing and walking to her window to overlook the forest she saw Alexandria's flittering form. To the shadows she saw him, trudge back to the house, to her. She felt a scowl cross her lips as she placed her hands to the window. The cold didn't bother her as much as the dark creature that had grown so far away from those happier days. Craning her neck to look towards the front, guests lit the streets in droves.
 
She stared back at her reflection, the green eyes she got from her mother and straight nose. Everyone said she was a combination of the two down to her personality. Brushing a stray hair from her face she turned away to her closet. Her dress, hair, and make up was next on her list. 
 
Time to change, the show was about to begin.