On the outskirts of a forgotten city, an ancient mansion opened its doors once every hundred years for a masquerade ball. To the unknowing guests, it was an evening of elegance, music swelling, chandeliers glittering, and masks hiding more than faces. But beneath the velvet gowns and golden masks lurked something darker.

Isabella, a curious journalist, received an invitation she never requested. Drawn by the mystery, she entered the ballroom only to feel every eye on her, hungry, patient, and centuries old. The dancers moved with a strange perfection, their shadows stretching unnaturally across the marble floor. When the clock struck midnight, the music stopped. Masks were lifted. Fangs gleamed.

Her heart pounded as she realized she was the only human in the room. A voice, smooth as wine, whispered in her ear: “You’ve been chosen… not as prey, but as a story to continue our legacy.”

And as the candles burned low, Isabella faced a choice, flee into the night and expose their secret, or accept the crimson mask offered to her and dance forever in their world.