Lifting the lid of the mailbox, Avery pulled the mail out. One item was in it—a red envelope with only her name. Avery Kellen. The invitation was clearly hand-delivered. No address, no postmarks, just her name.

Avery didn't hear anyone walking up the quiet street, nor did she see anyone approach her mailbox. She'd been home all day waiting to hear back about a job which made Avery believe she would have seen someone.

With an indifferent shrug, Avery presumed she'd been busy when the envelope was delivered. Opening it, Avery gasped and chuckled. It was an invitation to a party that night.

"No dull Halloween at home for me."

She looked at the creamy linen cardstock with beautiful typography. Her name was written in a gold pen that glistened in the light. In addition to her name was another. Castor Fenrir. She had no idea who this person was.

The unknown name was a little confusing for Avery, but she wasn't about to refuse to go to a party that was so fancy they had invitations professionally printed. Avery assumed it was all part of the sugar daddies website she'd applied to.

It was a drunken effort to find money when Avery struggled to obtain a job. She'd brushed it off without thought the next day, believing that no one would take her on. When Avery had a positive experience with the interviewer a few days ago, she felt that luck had finally found her. Avery hoped that the sugar daddies would not be needed.

Still, Avery was curious about the mysterious Castor Fenrir and the Sanguine Knights who were hosting the party. It might be a chance to rub shoulders with people in the upper social circles and maybe even the possibility of finding a better paying job. Anything was possible, and Avery wasn't about to let the opportunity pass her by.

Returning to the house, Avery thought about the invite. It was a party that was being held at a house that was not far from this place. She could walk it but decided that driving might be a better idea.

Eyeing the bag full of candy that she'd purchased for the local kids, Avery's eyes narrowed, and her lips tightened. She wondered if it was wise to leave the entire bowl on the front porch. It was guaranteed that one little piglet would take the whole bowl, leaving nothing for the others. Avery knew it would likely be a teenager who wouldn't even bother to put on a costume.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Avery grabbed a box and wrote a clear note on the front of it. An appeal for everyone to take a handful and not be greedy. Upending the candy into the box, Avery put it on the front porch and hoped that everyone respected her request.

Climbing the stairs to her bedroom, Avery looked at the invitation. It came with a delicate filigree mask. According to the invite, she was not to wear a costume. Instead, a cocktail dress was preferred.

Flicking through the dresses, Avery picked out a sleek black number that hugged her torso and flared to a full skirt at the hips. It went as far as her knees. The party girl in Avery couldn't resist the matching gold pumps and purse.

With the outfit decided, Avery quickly showered and began to get ready. By the time she was ready to leave, her housemate Emma was walking in the door.

"Where are you going at this hour?"

"I got an invite to a party on Franklin Street. Did you want to come with me?"

"Uh, no. I'll be out of here in a few minutes. Remember? We talked about dinner with Rory's parents."

"Oh yeah." Avery hummed.

Emma looked at the invite and frowned as her eyes lifted to her friend.

"The Sanguine Knights. What's that about?"

Avery shrugged.

"No idea. I'll catch you tomorrow. Maybe you might have some bling to show me."

"Ha. As if Rory's going to propose. Wait, did you hear back about the job? Tell me you're going to pay rent soon."

"Yes," Avery said, grabbing her keys. "I start the job tomorrow. Payday is next week."

"Awesome work there, Ave."

The pair said their brief goodbyes as Avery rushed to her car. The invite said six p.m. sharp, and she had ten minutes to get to Franklin Street.

Avery pulled up near the house. There were quite a few cars already parked. With two minutes left, she looked at the front lawn of the old wooden house. There were people everywhere, red cups in hand and looking as if they were already in party mode. Avery looked at the flash dress she was wearing and then at the people standing around on the lawn. There was a stark difference between her and them. They looked as if they were attending an ordinary party that didn't require a lot of makeup and a strapless bra.

Avery winced, pulling the ridiculous thing up under her arm.

"Alright. Let's get this over with. An opportunity like this only comes once in a lifetime."

Locking her car, Avery dumped the keys in her purse and crossed the road. No one looked at her as she stepped onto the footpath and approached the front steps.

Two beefy bouncers were standing at the door. One leaned against the wall next to the door with his muscular arms crossed over the thick chest. The other stepped to the edge of the stairs.

Predicting his request, Avery pulled out the red envelope with a smile. The guard took it, confirmed she was an invitee, and handed it back to Avery.

"Through the door. Follow the corridor. Your host will be waiting for you."

The other guard lifted from the wall and opened the door for Avery. She looked into the darkness, feeling a little anxious. As she drew closer, sconces lit up the walls.

The muted light pooled over the deep red walls. They were also bright enough to highlight the curved stone ceiling and the thick pillars that sat between the walls every few feet.

Taking a step forward, Avery's eyes widened with a smile. The lights continued to brighten her path. Turning back, Avery watched as they faded into the darkness.

"That's a neat trick," she whispered.

She wondered if the lights were triggered by a motion sensor.

Avery ran her fingers along the wallpaper, feeling the ridges as she moved. There were no doors, no windows. Just a long corridor that seemed endless.

When Avery considered turning back to ask the guards if she was lost, a door opened. At the end of the corridor, the slow creaking sound filled the silence. Beyond the door, Avery could see the moonlight.

A figure approached. The gangly man was dressed in a suit, almost like a servant. His features were wrinkly, but he walked as if he was young and full of vigor.

"Your invitation, madam."

Avery handed it to the man. He pulled out the mask first, giving it back to Avery.

"Please put it on."

As Avery did as he requested, the servant read the invite. With a nod, the thick card was returned to the red envelope and handed back to Avery.

"This way,"

"Hey, can I ask who Castor Fenrir is?"

"I cannot answer your questions, madam. Please refrain from asking anymore."

Her lips twitched derisively as Avery narrowed her eyes. It was a simple question, and she wanted to know. Getting no answer was frustrating for Avery.

She looked around the room, thinking they'd gone all out with the imagery and props. It looked like she was walking along a dirt track lined with wintery trees. A full moon hung in the starry sky, and the centerpiece was the Gothic castle.

She couldn't see much of it. The magnificent building towered over them, rising high into the inky sky. Avery turned to look at the door she'd just walked through. Bewilderment hit her as she looked at the scrap of a wooden door that appeared as if a strong wind could knock it over.

It wasn't what made her confused, though. It appeared as if there was no house. Even the wall where the door was, looked as if it didn't exist. The landscape matched the land to her sides. A woody forest that was gripped by winter but yet to see snow. Tall black trees with no leaves. As Avery returned her attention to the path, she wondered where the obligatory hooting owl was.

The servant opened the door, watching as Avery entered the castle. He didn't wait, sensing that the woman was full of questions.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the entrance hall. Stone columns framed the arched windows. Moonlight shone through them, casting a silvery glow over the sizeable gray stone tiles. Avery craned her neck as she passed under the monstrous wooden candelabras that were tight with candles.

As they drew closer to the wooden doors, Avery could hear the music. It sounded like a string quartet was playing.

She smiled despite the anxiety making her stomach turn. Avery hoped that no one expected her to do any kind of formal dancing. She had no idea how to.

The servant opened the doors, and silence flooded through the vast ballroom.

"Mistress Avery Kellen for Lord Castor Fenrir," the servant announced.

Avery peeked around the servant, searching through the people looking at them. All were dressed for a ball and were wearing masks. When Avery saw the long dresses, she instantly felt underdressed. There was no time to find anything else, though, and she hoped they understood that.

A lithe figure emerged from the crowd. Avery's eyes widened at the man. The mask was on, but that didn't hide his deep green eyes or the sleek black hair. Dressed in a fitted tuxedo, Avery thought that he looked mighty fine.

For a moment, Avery thought she might have been accepted into the sugar daddy club. It made a lot of sense, considering that it appeared as if these people had a lot of money. She wondered why no one had replied to her email or sent some kind of confirmation of acceptance.

All of her thoughts were washed away when Castor smiled. It was something to behold, and Avery stared like she had been deprived of masculine beauty for years.

"Thank you," Castor said to the servant.

With a dutiful nod, the servant returned to his posting. Castor turned his attention to Avery and held out his hand.

"Mistress Kellen,"

"Avery is fine," she said, taking his hand.

Lifting it, Castor gently pressed his lips against the knuckles. The subtle perfume rose, leaving Castor lingering in the divine smell of patchouli with possibly a hint of vanilla.

Avery watched as his pupils dilated when Castor looked at her.

"Do I know you?"

Castor shook his head, letting out a soft chuckle.

"Not yet, you don't."

The hand lowered, but Castor did not let go. Avery stared, lost in the dreamy green eyes.

Castor gazed upon Avery as if it had been years since they'd seen each other. It hadn't been, of course.

Avery's sandy blonde hair was pulled into a messy bun, highlighting the dark roots. Her makeup was subtle, adding to her beauty. The dress was acceptable for the setting, more so when Castor knew that such little time had been given for Avery to prepare.

"Would you like to dance?"

"Uh, not to be rude, but I don't know how to."

"That's okay. We can get a drink and talk."

Finally, Castor let go of Avery's hand. He gestured to the side of the room where they would find a place to talk. It was only a few steps before they reached the alcove area. They stayed at the edge where Avery could look up at the guests on the balcony above them.

Avery picked up a glass of champagne as the waiter passed her. The silver platter was full of flutes brimming with golden liquid. She was about to pass it to Castor and tackle the waiter for another when she realized that Castor already had a drink. Somewhere along the way, he'd managed to find a glass of red wine. At least, she thought it was wine. It looked a little too thick, in her opinion.

"Are you sure that I don't know you? How did you get my name?"

"The people that run this place select the invitees and assign them accordingly."

Avery frowned.

"The Sanguine Knights?"

"The very same."

"Is this the sugar daddy company?"

"No, but we will ensure that you will never have to worry about money again."

She looked around and noticed that the waiter was returning with the tray of champagne flutes. He'd weaved through the crowds, taking a few minutes to return, yet nothing had changed. None of the flutes were empty, and there was only one spot where a glass had once been. Her glass. No one had taken a glass of champagne.

As she searched the people mingling, Avery noticed that they all had glasses of red wine. The more she scanned the crowd, the more Avery began to sense that something was wrong. Everyone appeared normal, but there was something that wasn't right. She turned to Castor and saw the same oddity. Abnormal but oddly normal. She just could not put her finger on it.

And, she was alone. Whoever these people were, they didn't want a guest to have a friend with them. They wanted them alone.

Avery thought about how she'd leave this place without causing a fuss. She'd have to get out of this room, then make her way through the long entrance hall to the main doors, and take the odd path to that rickety wooden door that resembled a gate now that she thought about it better. All the while, she'd have to avoid the servant, Castor, and whoever these people were.

"You're curious, and it's understandable."

Avery snapped back to the conversation and realized that Castor had been watching everything she did. He smiled, and it was then that Avery saw the little peculiarity. It was deeper than the last, rising higher into his cheeks. Castor's canine teeth were longer than the rest of his teeth and appeared to taper to a sharp point.

As Avery looked at Castor and his fangs, it dawned on her that nothing about this place was normal. She was not in her neighborhood anymore, even if she'd taken a path from a house on Franklin Street.

Avery was surrounded by vampires.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

"Just an average man that has a large following."

"You're not a man,"

Castor's eyebrows rose with delight as the smile increased.

"You noticed. What now, though? Will she run for the door with the foolish belief that escape is possible, or will she accept her fate?"

"What is my fate?"

Castor gestured to the room that was full of vampires.

"I do not randomly welcome humans into my world, Avery. To be given an invitation is to be accepted into our world. You were picked from many. You are the only human to be given a chance at immortality this year."

"You're not going to kill me?"

"Not if you make the right choice."

Avery glanced at the vampires. It was a mixture of males and females, but that didn't matter when it was obvious that the balance was tipped to one side.

"And my purpose beyond that choice?"

Castor shrugged.

"There are many options."

"Yeah, I can see that."

Avery believed that while she might have a choice, her life past that would be controlled by someone else. She figured that her fate was to either be a cow milked for her blood or a vessel to create vampire children. Neither of those things were on her to-do list, nor was losing control of her life.

Avery watched as the crowd shifted with the change of music. The new song welcomed many to the floor. Those who weren't dancing were on the balconies on either side of the main floor. Some were in the alcoves, distracted by their conversations.

Avery saw that there was now a clear path to the door. There was only one choice. She had to run.

Turning to face Castor, she threw the champagne at his face, dropped the glass, and flicked off her shoes. Running, she reached the door before Castor realized what was going on. Avery wasn't prepared to stop. She ran through the entrance hall, skidding on the smooth stone when she reached the door. As she pulled the heavy wood back, Avery looked at the far end of the area. Castor was standing there, a shadowy figure that was backlit by the warm light that emanated from the ballroom.

She didn't care at all, desperate to escape this nightmare. Running to the flimsy gate, Avery felt every stone and sharp stick under her feet. Her heart was racing as she powered through the pain. It wouldn't matter if she could get through the door before Castor caught up with her.

The gate seemed so far away. Avery thought it felt like the trees were closing in on her, decreasing the path and the view of her escape. Her dress snagged on branches, snapping them and ripping the material. The branches scratched at her arms and legs, breaking the skin and making her bleed.

Avery could feel the cold descend upon her. Little white flakes began to float through the air, dancing in the wind that was brutal against Avery's bare shoulders and arms. With every breath she inhaled, it escaped as a puff that fogged the air around her.

As her hand reached for the handle, Avery relished the cold wrought iron against her skin. It was the feeling of escape.

Her other arm was pulled back. Avery gasped, turning to see Castor.

He had a wild look in his eyes, his breathing was erratic, and his once neatly styled hair was now a mess. As he tried to drag Avery back from the door, her purse fell to the ground. The red envelope slipped out, along with her keys and lipstick.

Castor leaned down and picked up the invite, and removed it, tossing the red envelope back to the ground. Avery's heart beat frantically as Castor stepped closer, waggling the invite at her.

"These are not to be taken lightly, Avery."

He pulled away the mask, letting it float to the ground. Avery gasped as Castor reached out. Her body jolted with fear. Carefully he removed the lacy cover from her face.

"But you can refuse the offer. That is always an option."

Both the lace mask and the invitation fell from his hands. Turning his attention back to Avery, Castor grabbed her arms. He dragged her close, and Avery could see the wild creature that was hidden beneath the façade of a handsome man.

"Unfortunately, I am hungry."

Avery cried out as the fangs plunged deep into her neck. The piercing sound was muffled by her pleas for freedom. They were ignored as blood dripped down her neck.

She had to escape, but Avery knew that was no small feat when a strong vampire held her. If she didn't figure out how to break free, Avery would be dead. It was absolute in her mind.

Despite the pain she felt from the fangs that had pierced her neck, Avery began to form her plan. She knew that she needed her keys and her wallet. The rest she didn't care about.

With a knee landing deep into his groin, Avery gained the advantage. Castor's body buckled from the pain, sending them to the ground. The movement also caused his fangs to rip open two gouges in Avery's neck. Blood went everywhere, splattering over her bag, dress, and invitation.

Avery grabbed her purse, scooped up the keys, and opened the door. As soon as she crossed the threshold without the invitation, the world turned dark.

Avery woke in a cold sweat, staring at the ceiling. It had been a dream. Vampires were not real, and she had clearly consumed something she shouldn't have to create such a wild fantasy.

Getting out of bed, she rushed to the mirror. Avery needed confirmation. She wanted to know that it was a dream and no part of last night was real.

There were no marks on her neck.

Avery sat on the bed, feeling relief from knowing it was just a dream. As realistic as it was, she had not been attacked by a vampire, and that was something she was grateful about.

Picking up her watch, Avery gasped at the time. Tossing it onto the bed, Avery frantically moved around her room as she dressed. Time was running out now that she'd forgotten to set the alarm. Breakfast would be a coffee in her travel mug, drunk on the way to work. Avery didn't want to be late for her first day at the new job.

Reaching the fridge, Avery smiled and pulled the picture that Emma had pinned to it. Her wild smile was amusing, and Rory kissing her cheek was sweet, but that glistening rock on the hand that consumed most of the photo was something else. Avery turned it over to see that Emma had written on the back of the image, Guess who was wrong!!

"Way to go, Em."

Putting the image back, Avery picked up the magnet letters and made a note for Emma when she returned. Woo hoo! Congrats.

Once the coffee was made, Avery was out the door and rushing to her car. She needed to make up time, and the traffic was not helping. It took half an hour to reach the office of Wolf Industries and as Avery looked at the clock that was ticking closer to nine a.m., she thought her luck had run out. Avery expected that there wouldn't be a single park available.

She was about to give up and take the next street to utilize the expensive car park when someone pulled out. Avery quickly zipped in, grateful that the on-street parking was unmetered. It seemed as if the universe had thrown her a lifeline.

Rushing into the office, Avery quickly ran her card through the scanner and pressed the button for the elevator. The doors opened, and Avery pressed the number five, then repeatedly pushed her finger against the close door button.

"Come on. Snails move faster than you do."

She had one minute to ascend five floors, get through the door and make it obvious that she'd arrived before nine. Avery watched the doors slowly shut, thinking she would not make it.

When the doors opened with a bing, Avery wanted to cry with relief. She had ten seconds to get through the door. Rushing to the frosted glass doors, she opened them with the expectation of greeting the receptionist again. The last time she was here, the middle-aged woman sat in front of the large sign for Wolf Industries, smiled at her and welcomed her for the interview. Now, there was no one behind the desk. The lights were on but Avery thought it felt like the place was empty.

"Hello, Avery."

Her body tightened at the sound of the deep voice laced with dark humor. A pair of familiar gold shoes were placed on the desk next to Avery. Warily she turned around to see a man behind her. The lithe figure was well dressed in an expensive suit that screamed CEO. Bright green eyes looked at her with devious delight.

"Castor," she whispered.

He smiled, and Avery's eyes widened at the sight of the sharp fangs. She'd hoped to never see them again, believing it was just a terrible nightmare. It wasn't. Avery knew that every single thing that happened last night was real. She was attacked by a vampire, the very same vampire that stood in front of her right now.

Grabbing her by the arms, Castor leaned in and bit Avery on the neck.

She screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks as she struggled to free herself from Castor's vice-like grip. There was no escape this time.

Done with the bite for now, Castor lifted his head back with a defiant smile. Blood stained his teeth and lips, adding to Avery's suffering.

"Welcome to Wolf Industries. I am so looking forward to working with you."