I Am My Enemy's Secret Santa? You Have To Be Kidding Me! ❄️Luna and Zeevale❄️

[Lun4Ghost]

Felix and Ruby received an invitation to the Bancroft Manor weeks ago, stating that they were invited to a Christmas party. Ruby wasn't fond of going to those kinds of things. The last time that happened, many supernatural creatures talked down on her once they saw the scar on her back, realizing that she was turned and not a pure vampire. She was still recovering from her past and the words really hurt her. This time, she can care less about what they say. Yes, it would hurt her, but it won't hurt as bad and can pretend that the words don't bother her. It took a lot of convincing on Felix's part to get her to go. Which is why the two were at Fell Manor at this very moment.

Once they got to the front door, they showed their respective pins to security and put on their respective masks. Ruby had the side profile of an open mouth gold snake with a green background while Felix had gold otter with a blue background. Without much thought, the two were let in and they took in their surroundings.

The place was extravagant and very fancy. There were so many items, expensive items, strewn all over the place that would make a thief faint. There were so many people around though that it was impossible to steal anything. It amazed both of them but only Ruby hid it. But that wore off for the female when she realized how many people were in the one room. More exactly, the kinds of people. There were so many species ranging from vampires and humans to werewolves and elves. There was even some that Felix never encountered before and that's saying something.

"Why did I even agree to this? This is a terrible idea, and you know it. I'm bound to hurt someone at this rate." Ruby asked Felix nonchalantly. She really wanted to leave but not because of the event. It's the fact that there's so many species and most of them she's not fond of, namely humans and other vampires. Felix just gave her a look that she knows well, telling her to be nice and not do anything stupid, and she sighed. "If I'm going to survive this, I need something strong." At that, she separated from Felix and went straight for the drinks.

She would find something sweet to snack on but it would mean that it would leave a beacon, saying that she's not born a vampire, and she wasn't about to start anything, especially since its a Christmas party. So, she was planning on sticking to blending in but that went down the drain the moment she saw something that brought back memories when she was human, homemade snickerdoodles. The temptation was strong, and she wanted to get some. She resisted but it wasn't long before she went for it.

She avoided bumping into anyone as she walked to it and was successful but, the moment she turned around to find Felix, she bumped into someone and was able to save her drink. Sadly, her snickerdoodle wasn't so lucky as it dropped out of her hand and straight to the floor. That really irritated her, mainly, because she hadn't had the chance to try it. Not only that, but someone also knew she wasn't a pure blood and she would have to deal with the backlash. She was prepared to say something if they say anything about it as she looked up to see who it was.

 

[zeevale]

​

Overall, in Demetri's most humble opinion, this had been a fucking stupid idea.

He hated walking into the unknown- enough that he had damn near perfected the art of formulating an escape plan under pressure- so to walk into a veritable den of what was likely a swarm of all kinds of beings... Sprinkle in the fact that he had likely hunted most of their kinds at one point or another- hell, probably killed many, and, well...

It was stupid, and recklessly so.

Against his better judgment, against every screaming warning of danger!, he had packed a bag for his stay, even going so far as to remove (most) of his weapons. Leaving the guild without several different ways to dispatch whatever came his way in the event of an altercation didn't sit well with him, and if security were so damned pressed to search him, they could go fuck themselves.

The moment he had stepped out of the cab, though, he wanted to wave the driver right back. Unfortunately for him, the damn man had hightailed it out with impressive speed.

So here he was, decked out in his finest- a white undershirt, a black overcoat, and freshly-pressed slacks, with (gods forbid) dress shoes. His calf-length silver hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, putting his pointed ears on full display. He'd woven the strands of black into the rest of his hair to make them less prominent. He felt exposed as hell and overdressed, but it was all for the sake of doing his damnedest to not stand out in a crowd, which had always been a difficult endeavor for him.

He'd left his bags in the complimentary room; it hadn't been overly terrible, as loathe as he was to admit. The open bar wasn't bad, either, and he'd wasted no time in partaking.

The only major downside- aside from the myriad of creatures that had sent him on high alert immediately- was the masquerade business. He'd neglected to read that part of the invitation, and it was only upon entry to his room that he realized how much he was going to hate everything.

His own mask was intricate, beautiful, and nothing he would have ever been caught dead in on an ordinary day. The bridge of the nose was curved downward, in an effort to mimic an owl's beak. Delicate curls of silver paint accentuated the eyes, outlined the beak, and trailed up the left side of his face, where two feathers- one brown, one silver- were firmly held in place by a loop of ribbon.

He hadn't cared much to look at the pin, as he'd just attached it to his lapel and carried on his way.

Now, though, he wished he had thought to take his drinks to go and holed himself in his room, away from the overwhelming amount of people, the potential dan- Ah, shit.

He had been on his way to grab something to uninterestedly gnaw on while he burned through the stock of whiskey when someone bumped into his back. He tensed, took a few seconds to rein himself back in, and turned.

Demetri was no small man. He had a lifetime of hunting under his belt, after all, and extensive combat training to boot. He peered down at the girl who'd so carelessly smacked into him, watched as her cookie took a fatal tumble to the floor, and then back to her face.

Well, mask. Ugh.

Intense silver eyes peered at her with obvious disinterest. She was cute, he guessed, for- a... vampire. Oh, awesome. He could practically smell it on her- though it felt off- and a wave of annoyance washed over him.

"Do you mind? Some people have better things to do than fumble their snacks." He shifted to move past her, caught something shining out of his peripheral, and froze, his eyes locking on the stupid fucking pin on this girl's shirt.

Nope. That wasn't- There was no way-

He dared to look down at his own. Fuck.

 

[Lun4Ghost]

Ruby gave him the dirtiest look because of his remark as she found it incredibly rude. This is why going to these things never go well for me. She put her hand on her waist and scoffed. Did he not realize that he was in the way? She really wanted to bite her tongue like Felix asked to avoid trouble, but she couldn't as he was being rude for no reason. "I'm not sure you realized this but, you're blocking the way. So, if you wouldn't be a bump on a log and move out of the way, that would be great. You do have legs, use them." She told him, rudely.

It was then that she noticed that he was staring at her shirt or, more specifically, her pin. She looked at his and she recognized the pin immediately. It was the same as hers. That made her down her drink in one go but that caused her to look at his ears, realizing that he was an elf. She really couldn't believe that her Secret Santa was an elf and a rude one at that. Can I get away with not giving him anything? Unlikely, so it's best if I just did it. It could be worse though as he could've been a human, vampire, or a hunter.

If she found out that he was a hunter, she would've high tailed out of the mansion. It's not due to her being terrified, it was far from it as she seen something worse than hunters. If she had the option, she would tear his throat out or rip out his heart. She would've left to AVOID spilling blood. If there was one thing she hated more than humans and vampires, its hunters. So, it was a good thing she didn't realize it. "Well, that's just great. I have to gift a very rude elf. It could be worse but still." She said, monotonously. Without another word, she walked past him and went straight back to the drinks for a refill. She was grateful that it took a lot to get wasted, thanks to her vampiric metabolism, as she would've been out of it before the night ended.

After, she went straight outside to get away from everyone. She could get the elf gifts once it got closer as she didn't want to deal with people more than she had to, namely this unknown elf. Stuff like this really put her on edge as extravagant parties and her never mixed well. People would start talking about her like the last time she went to one or something like what happened with the male will hit her. In reality, she didn't get along with anyone except for Felix. She had nothing but bad interactions outside of Felix and, even if he was there to play mediator, she would still find a way to be rude. There were times where the other party started but, it wasn't as much as she did. It was why she thought that going this was a bad idea.

Yeah, she could bite her tongue but it doesn't work out as often. It was difficult for her nowadays but there were times where she could do it. This was one of those times where she couldn't. She was too on edge and in fight or flight mode to actually do so. She was expecting to hear from Felix later about it since he was all about keeping the peace. Plus, he told her not to anyways.

He didn't say it to control her or to treat her like a child. They both knew that wasn't his intentions. It was more so to try and keep her in check. He didn't want unnecessary violence or bloodshed, and it was understandable with his upbringing. There was no need to cause any trouble when there was no reason to cause it after all.

 

[zeevale]

Well, that had gone stellarly. Demetri narrowed his eyes at her retreating form, his lips pursing as he brought his drink to his lips. The burn of the whiskey down his throat was a comforting sensation, and more than welcome, considering the woman's scathing words.

How in the nine Hells was he supposed to play nice with someone just as acerbic as he?

He sucked on his teeth, polished off the rest of his drink, and took up his seat at the bar once more, his urge to peruse the snacks evaporated under one hell of a first interaction. His fingers tapped rapidly against his empty drink glass, his eyes rolling behind his mask. He let out a drawn-out sigh and placed his glass on the bar top harder than intended, the harsh clink turning a couple of heads in his direction.

Going after the girl was out of the question. He was the last person to chase after a vampire, let alone an agitated one. Sure, she was likely to be less inclined to violence in a crowd, but that didn't eliminate it. Potentially protecting innocent bystanders wasn't on his to-do list for this trip.

He fought with himself internally for several agonizing seconds, growled under his breath, and went to grab something of note for the girl. If he was supposed to make the most of this experiment, he had to grit his teeth and bare it. Just a little.

His eyes fell on the tray with various cookies. The internal battle this time was much shorter, the man grumbling profanities under his breath as he grabbed two snickerdoodles, placed them on a small plate, and brought them back to the bar. Demetri sat once more, ordered himself another whiskey, and slid the plate out to the side, away from him and closer to the door.

A peace offering...if she even bothered to return.

 

[Lun4Ghost]

As Ruby took a minute to steel herself from the party and any other rude remarks from the male. She may have prepared herself earlier on the way to the manor, but it seemed she was thrown in for a loop the moment she bumped into him, even more so when she realized that the same person was the one she had to gift.

She let out a small sigh and took a small sip of her drink as she looked up at the starry night. She understood why Bancroft chose night time to host the event since some creatures can't come out during the day. She was actually quite thankful for it as most of the guests didn't want the wind to mess up their hair or deal with the small chill when the wind blows. Neither really bothered her as she kept her hair the way it is. The small chill was a feeling that she enjoyed, welcoming it with open arms. It reminded her that she was still alive, still breathing, and free from the torment she endured when she was human as those were the days she was surviving. Now? She was living and enjoyed the smaller and more simple things in life.

She stayed outside for a while and took the time she needed to prepare and be as calm as she could be. She drank until her cup was empty before she decided to go in. She took a deep breath and let out a small sigh before she walked through the door. She scanned the room and saw Felix chatting with someone. She assumed they were his Secret Santa, but she wasn't sure and she wasn't about to ruin his night by asking. Her gaze went to the bar and saw the one person she wanted to avoid. Right next to him, there was a plate with something on it. She was slightly curious about it but not too much. She just wanted a refill so that she can go lurk in a dark corner and watch everyone do their own thing.

She went over to where he was and sat down, immediately noticing the snickerdoodles that were occupying the plate, before she ordered some more. She smiled so little that it was unnoticeable but was gone a second later as she grabbed one to snack on. She knew what he was doing and was willing to keep the peace as long as he doesn't say something rude. "For the record, this doesn't change a thing. I hate you and you hate me. So, this peace we established, it ends the moment we leave this place for good. We see each other after, I'll try to kill you. I don't know who, or WHAT, you are but it doesn't mean a thing. You can be a royal or a god and I'll still kill you." She told him, plainly. She watched bartender do their job as she spoke, acting like it was a normal thing for her.

In a way, it was as she was used to making enemies and killing them if they tried anything with her or Felix. "We're both lucky this is an event filled with people. Without it, my best friend would try to play the peacekeeper to keep us from killing one another." She added before looking at him. "I'm sure we can agree to that. Yes?" At that, she looked back at the bartender as she took another bite, waiting for his response.

 

[zeevale]

Demetri's head turned at the sound of her voice, his lips on the edge of his glass. His eyes flicked to the girl's face as the words tumbled out in what was likely the most volatile gathering of words he'd heard in a while.

He stared for several seconds... Then started laughing, the elf placing his new glass of whiskey onto the bar top. He side-eyed her, a smile on his face, and it quickly faltered.

"Oh, shit, you were serious." Demetri's next laugh was without humor, the elf fixing the cuffs of his dress shirt in a deep sigh, the man turning from his seat. The smile that he fixed her with didn't meet his eyes.

"We just met, and your first instinct is to threaten my life over a comment made about a cookie? Sweetheart," he leaned into her space, "if you were going to bring that kind of attitude into a party, you shouldn't have stepped two feet past the door." He stood from his spot, picked up his drink, and made a twirling motion toward the manor's main door.

"Counter offer of peace for you: turn around, step outside, drop off the attitude, and try this shit again. Or don't. I don't care either way. I came here to have a good time." He shrugged and took a sip of his whiskey before continuing. "I'd go get your friend and discuss strategy on how to wrangle your attitude. Gods know you need it. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to mingle. Maybe someone would be willing to swap with me."

He brushed past her, stopped, and half-turned to her again, scowling. "And maybe next time, think before you threaten someone off the cuff. After all, if you're so inexperienced you couldn't tell immediately that I was a hunter, then you never stood a chance." Without waiting for a response, he wove into the crowd, getting lost in the myriad different species.

 

[Lun4Ghost]

Ruby wasn't exactly threatening him about the comment, it's more about WHAT he said. He was extremely rude about it, and it really got to her. If he would've been nice about it and apologized, she wouldn't even say anything threatening. She really didn't like people who're rude as they really hit a nerve with her. With her being on edge, it was a really bad combination. She was practically done with the party, and she's only been there for an hour. But what really made her done with it was when he told her what he was.

She wasn't exactly experienced since she was still figuring everything out. With her being 248 years old, she was considered a child in the vampire world. Even though she was turned at 20, she was still new. Felix was doing everything he can to help her figure it all but with her being out of control and a tendency to get into trouble, it was hard for him to teach her some things.

As soon as he left, Ruby got up and went straight to Felix, her drink and snack completely forgotten. She wanted to leave and go back home, avoiding the hunter at all costs until she was no longer on edge. It was why she was hoping that Felix would understand and allow the both of them leave but she didn't want to upset him as she saw that he was enjoying himself.

Once she got to him and some person that he's talking to, she asked if she could talk to Felix in private. Of course, he excused himself and they went to some place private before she explained what happened to him. As she did, he gave her a look and sighed as he shook his head once she was done.

"I get this kind of thing frays your nerves, but I told you to behave and not start anything." Felix told her. He ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to gather his thoughts. "I'll talk to him and try to get him to see reason. After that, I'll tell you what he said. I just hope he understands and not do anything stupid." He added before he left to find the elf that shared the same pin as Ruby. He didn't want to cause any more trouble and actually defuse the situation. If the elf didn't want to listen or understand, Felix won't push it. He didn't want to make an enemy out of him.

When he spotted the elf, he let out a soft sigh of relief and went up to him. "I know what you're thinking but I'm not here to make an enemy. I just want to apologize on my friend's behalf and explain her behavior. If you don't want to listen, I'll respect that and leave you alone." He told the hunter, calmly. He wanted to be clear first that he wasn't looking for a fight and wanted to keep the peace. He didn't want trouble and wanted to avoid conflict as much as possible.

 

[zeevale]

Demetri had managed to find the bathroom and was standing outside, leaning against the wall, ruminating. His eyes were squeezed shut, his head dropped back. There was a headache brewing behind his eyes and the urge to leave was incredibly strong.

Coming had been a much bigger mistake than he thought. Of course he had managed to obtain a Secret Santa that was damn infuriating, to the point that the idea of further interaction was inducing a migraine.

The entire stock of whiskey at the bar wouldn't be enough for tonight, truth be told.

Then, a voice. Male. Unfamiliar. He lifted his glass to his lips without opening his eyes- though now, it was little more than ice water- and drained what little liquid had accumulated while the ice had melted in his hand.

He took in a deep breath, exhaled, and at last cracked open his eyes to regard Felix.

"Your friend is getting on my last good godsdamn nerve, and I am a patient man." He paused. "At times." He pushed off from the wall and took a step toward him.

Demetri cleared his throat and focused his full attention on Felix, those silver eyes locked on with an intensity that was likely unnerving. "Fine. Enlighten me. But for the record-" he held up a finger- "you, at least, know that every hunter is not a fucking killing machine hellbent on destroying everything in sight, correct? Because this conversation is already over if you think I'm so eager to start spilling blood."

It was evident enough that he was willing to converse, but his guard was raised higher than the garden walls outside. He simply refused to be caught off-guard with so many wandering and inquisitive eyes present, the soft murmur of gossip already reaching his ears. Ugh, he hated upperclass parties.

 

[Lun4Ghost]

Felix gave Demetri a warm smile, which reached his eyes, and puts his hands in his pockets. He was on guard, but he had a relaxed posture, wanting to appear as peaceful as possible. He leaned his shoulder against the wall, knowing that Demetri wasn't like most hunters. There are a few that he met who aren't hellbent on killing every single supernatural being, only killing them if there was a good reason. But, more often than not, he came across hunters who are killers, and it seems that Demetri is the more reasonable one. If he wasn't, Felix wouldn't hesitate to leave unannounced and would actually kill the hunter if Felix was cornered and had no choice. He really doesn't want to resort to violence due to his past, but he knows that, when push comes to shove, he has to resort to it.

"You're right. I don't think that. Believe it or not, with my line of work, I do meet hunters just like you. Not much but enough. Which is why I'm in this bathroom, talking to you to reestablish peace for my friend. If I didn't," He shrugged, not wanting to say it but knew that the hunter understood what he wasn't saying, "we wouldn't be having this conversation. I may be old, older than you think, but I'm not stupid. I'm haven't lived as long as I am just to get killed for stupidity." Being 1,283 years old, he learnt a lot of lessons and knows how to keep under the hunters radar. Back then, he would've gotten killed for his actions and would completely understand that but he's not that person anymore. He's gotten a second chance centuries ago and he believed that Ruby should too. After all, the hunter has only seen her shell, not the soft side of the woman who was his best friend and like a sister to him.

"As for my friend, she's young and is still trying to figure things out. She had a rough past and finds it extremely difficult to trust anyone she never met. So, her being rude, its not personal. She's on edge right now as she hates these kinds of things, and anything can set her off." He let out a soft sigh and looked at the door with a tired look before he looked back at the hunter with a warm smile. "As for the whole hunter thing, she only met bad ones. It's partially my fault as I try to keep us under a low profile, but I try to protect her from herself. She makes enemies easy and is prone to trouble. Personally, I believe you should give her a second chance as she's not all what you see but you should be patient with her. She's a good woman underneath all that cold and rude exterior. You just have to be willing to wait to see it."

He shook his head and got off the wall before he pulled a hand out of his pocket. He rested a gentle hand on the hunter's shoulder and gave him a confident look. "If anyone knows anything about second chances, I know I do because I did things that I regret. If you do consider giving her another chance, I guarantee that she would be a lot kinder by the time this event is over." He removed his hand from the hunter's shoulder and put it back in his pocket. He wouldn't blame him if Demetri wouldn't give Ruby a second chance but he would be relieved if he did. He didn't want Ruby to make an enemy during the event but, there's only so much he could do as a peacekeeper. What the hunter decides to do, its ultimately his choice. "Just know that I will talk to her after we're done. I need to let her know that this event is important and she needs to stay in line." He finished. He was saying everything he could to keep the hunter from targeting Ruby and keep the peace.

 

[zeevale]

Demetri listened with an unreadable expression, those silver eyes watching Felix's every little nuance in body language for any kind of tell. When he found none, his gaze affixed to the floor off to the side.

He knew his fair share of hunters with questionable morals. Whether it was werewolves, vampires, other supernaturals, or just some asshole on a murderous rampage, bounty hunting attracted all sorts. Reckless kids who got killed due to overconfidence. Veterans who underestimated the mark and never came back to the guild, despite sometimes having centuries of experience under their belt. On the worst of missions, though, civilians got caught in the crossfire, and that one did things to a man's psyche. He had plenty of scars from countless hunts gone astray, but the invisible ones were sometimes worse.

He knew that better than most.

The touch to his shoulder made him stiffen; his eyes narrowing as they cut back to Felix. That was bold. Demetri's eyes flicked up to the ceiling and then back down to the man, his carefully-crafted neutral expression cracking to give way to a deep frown.

"...Fine." He swirled what little remained of his ice in his glass, the elf sighing deep from his chest. He was quiet for several moments. It was an educated guess that this man was Ruby's sire, from the way he talked down to the protectiveness he displayed for the girl, in addition to the fact that he was sticking his neck out for a woman who made quite the first impression.

He glanced toward the bar, then back toward the balcony where Ruby had taken her breather earlier. "Tell her I'll be outside. I need a smoke."

He stared at him a moment longer, that mask carefully put back into place, and then Demetri was moving toward the bar in long strides to place his empty glass on the bar top.

Once outside, Demetri sucked in the cool air and shut his eyes, taking a moment to re-center himself.

Play nice. Don't lash out, even if she does. That was simple enough, wasn't it? She was young- probably younger than he was- and had already displayed her temper, though. They hadn't even had a chance to exchange names, and he couldn't remember if the invitation had listed hers. It probably had, but just like the masquerade masks, he'd neglected to properly assess. It was so woefully unlike him, and it had started to fray his nerves.

From within an inner pocket in his jacket, he pulled out a small gray tin. Demetri slipped his nail under the lid and popped it open, took out one of the cigarettes, and closed the lid. He returned it to his pocket, rummaging briefly for his lighter, and was lighting up in the next beat.

He would have brought his pipe, but it hadn't felt appropriate, and its box was too bulky for such an occasion. Besides, the pipe was for... quieter places and company than an anonymous event.

He took a long drag and exhaled it in a great plume of smoke. With his free hand, he undid one of the straps that held his mask in place. Without it, the X-shaped scar that ran along his upper jaw was uncovered for all the world to see. Demetri leaned against the rail, his mask dangling from two fingers, his thumb giving the butt of his cigarette a brief flick to dislodge ashes. He brought it back to his lips and held it there, his thoughts elsewhere.