Archive of Our Own

Once a year a selected few get an invitation to the masquerade at the house on the top of the hill. No one knows who hosts it or how participants are chosen, but people eagerly await the day they get their invitation. Some folk have taken to calling it The Vampire Masquerade, for who else who hold an event so late? Many have taken the assumption of vampires and stayed away from eating or drinking at the masked party due to the fear of falling under the beasts' control. Guests don't often speak about their night at the party, instead telling their friends to just wait for their invitation. Sometimes people never come home, and the whispers of vampires run through the town. People don't do anything about their suspicions however because fear is a powerful ringleader. The Vampire Masquerade is a unique event that the town anticipates every year.

And the invitations have just been sent out.

Alexander had been in his new town for all of six months when he received a wax sealed envelope in the mail. All three of his roommates received one too, and to say the least he was confused as he returned to their dorm with the mail.

"You guys got an invitation...to something," he called as he closed the door and tossed the mail on the coffee table, holding onto his own invitation. He had just sat down when Lafayette came rushing into the room, eyes wide and a wicked grin on his face.

"An invitation? Where to? What for? Is it a fancy invitation?"

"Its kind of fancy? I don't really know, I haven't even opened mine yet," he replied and looked down at the envelope in his hands. He never really received mail that wasn't a bill, and he hadn't given anyone his address recently so he was still confused when he went about opening it. The confusion only grew as he read the content of the letter.

"The Masquerade in Monticello?"

"No one calls it that little lion. Its the Vampire Masquerade."

"What?"

"That's right you've barely even lived here! The Vampire Masquerade, my dear Alexander, is only the most esteemed event of the year," Lafayette was reading his letter as he responded, his grin growing wider. It was then that Hercules and John entered the room, skeptical looks on their faces.

"Is it the invitation we've been waiting for?" John asked as he sat on the couch, holding his hand out for someone to toss him his letter.

"The one and only," Lafayette grinned and whipped the note at him.

"Well shit boys, we've only been waiting for this since what, sophomore year?" Hercules mumbled as his eyes scanned over the contents of the letter.

"And now we're college freshman and they finally notice us," John piped up, and Alex looked between all of them, still confused beyond belief.

"I'm sorry...I still have no idea what's going on?" Alex was getting a little frustrated, his eyes tracing the sprawling letters on the piece of paper in his hands.

"Little dude, the masquerade is a yearly event-"

"Only like forty invitations get sent out-"

"And it could be a once in a lifetime event-"

"If you get invited its bound to be the best night of your life," Hercules finished off , staring over at Laf who just winked. They were good at talking for each other.

"Are there...actual vampires?"

"Probably not, but the rumor settled a while ago and everyone just kind of believes it," John shrugged.

"But we know to not eat or drink anything offered, just in case," Hercules had seated himself on the other side of Alex, who was trying to process everything.

"Who hosts it?"

"No one knows little lion, no one even knows who owns Monticello. We just go with the flow," Lafayette was smiling softly at him and he looked down at the paper in his hands for a minute longer before looking up and smiling back.

"So who wants to help me get a suit and mask by next week?"

He was nervous, to say the least. He felt awkward in his suit and his mask was scratchy. John had to place a hand on his shoulder to stop his fidgeting, and his eyes grew wide as they pulled up to the house.

"Do I have to go? I can't just stay in the car...?"

"Alex we are not leaving you in the car, it will be a good night. I promise," John laughed, unbuckling his seatbelt as Hercules turned the car off. They grouped together outside the car, watching other guests walk into the mansion. And then Alex was getting shoved forward as they walked towards the house.

"Don't eat anything Alex," Hercules reminded him as they neared the entrance.

"Or drink!" Lafayette exclaimed, and Alex looked over at them. His eyes roamed over their matching black and gold masks and he sighed.

"But what if I get thirsty?" he teased them, raising his eyebrow even though he knew they couldn't see behind the feathers that decorated his forest green mask.

"Drink your own sweat," John teased back, finally taking the moment to put his half butterfly mask on as they entered the mansion. Alexander froze in the doorway, staring around the huge room they had entered. People gathered in groups around the room, talking and laughing. He watched people spin across what had been decided as the dance floor, the eerie sound of an old waltz filtering up towards the ceiling.

"Are you going to stand here all night or go mingle, little lion?" Laf questioned him, shoving his shoulder gently as he walked off with Hercules. Alex looked to his other side and saw John had already left to go mingle. There was a moment he stood, listening to the beat of the song before finally walking completely inside. He was still taking in his surroundings, stepping to avoid bumping into people and turning in slight circles. It was weird seeing so many masked faces, all seeing eyes with indistinguishable appearances. It all felt rather lonely. He turned to go find John's masked face, knowing Hercules and Lafayette had probably already found another couple, and instead rammed straight into someone else. Large hands settled on his upper arms as was pulled him away from the chest, a smile playing on plump lips and lighting up dark eyes in a purple mask.

"Are you alright, darlin'?" the southern accent made Alex's knees weak, but he frowned instead of immediately replying.

"I'm not your darling," he grumbled in annoyance, feeling the hands leave his arms.

"I didn't mean any harm in it," the stranger hummed, crossing his arms behind his back.

"I just don't appreciate it," he crossed his arms and frowned up at him.

"Well then I apologize. Would you like a drink to make up for it?" he flashed his teeth in an enticing grin. Alex heard the warnings from his friends filter through his conscience before he shrugged.

"I'm sure a drink wouldn't hurt."

"Then follow me," his new companion held his hand out, head tilted in a way that made the horns on his mask shimmer. Alex heard warnings bells ring in his head before uncrossing his arms and taking the offered hand. He was led across the room to a grand table of snacks and drinks, which few people stood by. His hand was dropped as he watched the man grab two cups and fill them with a red drink. He turned away from the table and held one of the cups out to him, and Alex took it hesitantly. He sniffed it and only got the smell of wine. If it was only wine why had he been advised agaisnt it? He took a sip to ignore the question cycling through his head.

"Have I been forgiven?" his companion was simply holding his glass, a smug smile playing on his lips. Alex took another sip before nodding.

"I suppose you have," he answered, scanning his eyes over the crowd again. He felt warm and he wasn't sure if it was due the blush creeping onto his cheeks or the heat of his suit. It was a pleasant warm however, and he couldn't complain. He and the stranger stood there for a few minutes without talking, reveling in the music notes drifting through the air. His glass was basically empty when it was taken from his hand. He watched the man set the glasses down holding his hand out again, grin dancing in his eyes. Alexander noted that his glass wasn't empty.

"Care to dance?" he looked at the hand and then into the eyes of the southern man. He hummed and took it for the second time that night., trying to blink away the fuzziness settling in his mind. They walked towards where other people were gliding effortlessly across the floor. They joined the floor when a new beat picked up, Alex already accepting he wouldn't be leading their dance.

The hand he was already holding raised up, while the free hand of his dance partner settled on his waist. Alex put his own free hand on the other's shoulder, and they made their way to the middle of the floor in a matter of spins. He wasn't a skilled dancer but with this man it came naturally. He kept a three count in the back of his mind as they spun and swayed, but it slowly filtered away and settled into the fuzziness he was dealing with as he was dipped. The song was coming to an end when his stranger smirked at him, and Alex looked up into his eyes.

"I know it isn't masquerade etiquette, but what's your name?" he was leading them away from the dancers, a few of which had stopped to watch them.

"Alexander," he answered, watching the eyes behind the mask dilate before asking "and yours?"

"Thomas." Alex watched those eyes dart around the room really fast before the man flashed his teeth in a grin again, "Would you like to go somewhere else?"

"Like where?"

"Anywhere in this mansion. I own it."

"Really?"

"Mhmmm," Thomas said matter of factly, starting to lead Alex through the crowd again.

"Could we go to a bedroom?" he muttered as they passed a group of people and he caught sight of John's mask. He felt no desire to go towards his friend, weirdly attracted to only this man at the moment. Thomas chuckled as he opened a door and led Alexander through it.

"I'll take you to one if you take your mask off," Thomas had dropped his hand, already reaching up to remove his own. Alexander blinked at him once or twice before he nodded and reached behind his head the undo the tie of his mask. They looked at each other for a moment before removing the facial obstruction. Alex was trying to adjust to having his full vision back when a hand landed on his cheek, and he leaned into it a little.

"May I call you darling now?" he nodded minutely and Thomas hummed, "Well, darlin', you're absolutely breath taking," he worked his eyebrow and Alex's breath hitched. He had never felt the amount of lust he was feeling for this man before, and he couldn't blame himself.

"So are you," he replied, feeling his cheeks heat.

"I beg to differ. I'm a moth and you're my flame," he leaned forward and kissed him. Alexander immediately kissed back, reaching up to loop his arms around Thomas' neck. He felt his back hit the door they had come from as the kiss was deepened, and couldn't help but softly moan when Thomas pulled away.

"I recall you asking for a bedroom?"

"It would be preferred," he breathed, and then he was being picked up. He wrapped his legs around Thomas' waist and batted his eyelashes at him. Thomas winked back at him and started walking up the staircase the door had led to, stopping at the top to suck a mark onto Alex's neck. He continued to walk after that, sliding into a room with an open door which he closed immediately after with his foot. He took a couple steps into the room and then dropped Alex onto a bed.

"Take your clothes off darlin'," he couldn't pinpoint where Thomas was but he did as he was told, working to remove his uncomfortable suit. He was only just becoming aware of how hard he was and whined when he pushed his pants down. He felt the bed dip and then a body was hovering over him and a hand was tracing the inside of his thigh.

"You look like a dream darlin'," Thomas whispered as he wrapped his hand around Alex's member, crashing his train of thought into a moan. It didn't leave any room to wonder how Thomas knew what he looked like in the dark of the room. He let Alex thrust up and then removed his hand and leaned down to kiss Alex on the lips. He moaned and arched his back, looking for any form of friction from the other man. He heard the sudden pop of a cap, and then Thomas was whispering in his ear.

"Do you want my dick in you, sweetheart?"

"Y-yes," he stuttered, gasping when he felt a slick finger circle his hole. Thomas spent a while on marking up his neck as he worked three fingers into Alex, stopping to scissor them and curl them into his prostrate before stopping them suddenly. He whined pitifully, his hands fluttering up to land on Thomas' shoulders and dug his nails in.

"Do you think you're ready?" Thomas mumbled into his ear, voice rough. Alex nodded, fucking himself down on the fingers in his ass.

"Words darlin, you have them."

"Yes yes yes ye-," he was silenced with a kiss as Thomas removed his fingers. The sudden emptiness felt wrong, but it was only there for a minute before he was slowly pushing into Alex. He gasped and Thomas took the opportunity to lick into his mouth, wrapping his tongue around Alex's. He pulled away as he bottomed out, letting him breathe and adjust. Alexander dug his heels in to the other's lower back, asking silently for him to move. He hummed in response before picking up a rhythm that had Alex panting for air. When his hips started minutely stuttering he reached between them to grab Alex's cock, and his eyes rolled back as he stroked it in a quick rhythm.

"Come for me Alexander," he purred into Alex's ear before biting down on the juncture of his neck. He cried out as he came, arching up into Thomas' hand. Thomas thrust a few more times before he stuttered to a stop and came inside Alex, but he still hadn't removed himself from biting his neck. He whined in discomfort and pushed at his shoulders to try and dislodge him, but discovered he was weak and drowsy. When he pulled away from his neck and pulled out he whined, feeling something trickle down his collar bone.

"What...did you do?" he asked slowly, feeling more light headed than one should after sex.

"Nothing much darling, just something special," Thomas replied, pushing his wrist agaisnt Alex's mouth. He moved his face away with a weak whine.

"Shh, just open your mouth."

"N...," Thomas didn't let him finish, taking the slip up to fully press his wrist agaisnt Alex's now open mouth. He was going to pull away when he became aware that Thomas was making him drink his blood, and it tasted...good. He whined again, latching onto his wrist with both hands. Thomas chuckled, eventually pulling his wrist away. Alex felt unsatisfied and didn't let go of him, trying to pulling his arm back in.

"Ah ah, don't be greedy,- he used his free hand to tap Alexander's forehead, "-go to sleep instead."

He felt his body grow heavy and he let go of Thomas. He tried to keeps his eyes open and failed, drifting off as he felt a hand run through his hair.

"He's been out for three days James! It shouldn't take this long!"

"Maybe the bite isn't taking? Not everyone is susceptible to it."

"Don't throw your fucking logic at me, he smelled better than anyone in that room. He's special."

"I mean you also kind of charmed him so you know matter of opinion."

"I will throw you out the god damn window."

"Oh so scary, you're such a tough vampire."

"Where am I?" Alexander groaned, trying to open his eyes but curling into a ball and covering his ears instead. Everything hurt, and his head felt like someone was driving an ice pick through his skull. He heard the voices that had woken him up stop, and then someone was walking over to him.

"Alexander can you open your eyes?"

"Hurts."

"I know, but please? For me darling?" he contemplated just staying in his little ball for forever, before he pried his eyes open. The face before him took a minute to register, no longer dulled by dim lights and dark ballrooms. Somehow he was even more attractive than before, and Alex squinted at him.

"Thomas?"

"That's right," he reached forward to settle a hand in his hair, "Do you remember where you are yet?"

"Your mansion...for the masquerade..."

"About that-"

"James shut up. The masquerade is over. Has been for three days," he was starting to anxious and Alex blinked at him. Then he remembered the sweet taste of his blood and the teeth that had dug into his neck.

"Are you telling me...that it is literally a vampire masquerade?"

"Yes?"

"You are so cliche."

"So I've been told," he smiled softly at him.

"Am I a vampire now too?" he figured it would explain his suddenly better eyesight and the fact he could hear better and the heightened sense of smell.

"That'd be correct."

"So....now what?"

"Well first-," Thomas leaned forward and kissed his forehead, followed by his nose, and then settled on his lips for a second before pulling away and standing up, "-that. Second, we teach you to be a vampire," he held his hand out to Alexander. It wasn't the first time he'd taken this leap, so he took a hand off his ear and grasped it.

As he saw it, it was just a new path in his already messed up life. There was no harm in trying something new.