Aziza and Lay were sitting on a loveseat in the Silvervine Manor’s lobby. Aziza was resting her head on Lay’s shoulder and holding each other's hand. The maids of the manor had finished fixing up their makeup and hair, now they were waiting on everyone else.

  Aziza was wearing the rich blue mermaid dress with plunge that she first tried and the maids didn’t have much to do with her short hair. Lay was wearing a deep blue dress that paired with Aziza’s dress and the maids had put her hair into a french braid.

  “Careful that your makeup smears on Lay’s shoulder.” Diamond’s voice called out. She was coming down stairs in the outfit that she picked out and Aziza sat up in confusion.

  “Are you wearing hair extensions?” Aziza noticed Diamond’s hair was longer than before. Diamond’s top portion of hair was tied in a high ponytail with two braids on each side and the back part wild and free, which reached past her shoulder bdes.

  “No, a magic comb made my hair longer,” Diamond adjusted her bangs, which were still the same, and she stood in front of them now. “The maids made it a little too long so they had to trim it.”

  “That expins why it took you longer than them.” Anderson’s voice said as he came down the stairs now. “Your mother didn’t want to let go.”

  He was wearing a three piece bck suit and silver tie. His shoes were shiny bck and pointed. He was adjusting his tie and Aziza picked up the scent of Amaris all over him.

  “Dad,” Diamond tapped the right side of her neck. He touched his neck before hiding the hickey by raising his dress shirt colr. “Also a touch of gray?”

  “I wanted to look like a father taking a daughter to a party.” Anderson said as ran his finger through his slicked back hair, that it had streaks of gray hair in it now. “I think I’ll keep it, your mother liked it.”

  “Ya, really selling the old money and totally not at a vampire vibe.” Diamond snarked with a roll of her eyes. Anderson smirked from Diamond words with a small chuckle. “Anyways let's get this over with, you're with me Aziza.”

  “And you’re with me, Lady Lay.” Anderson held out hand to Lay to help her to her feet. “We have taken different limos as the coven party is held, well, in the coven main building.”

  “While the Winter Solstice party is being held at Goldmire Manor.” Diamond expined as she helped Aziza on her feet and Aziza noticed Diamond wasn’t wearing shoes.

  “Aren’t your feet going to get cold when we head out?” Aziza asked and Diamond moved her foot to show the bottom of her feet. Diamond’s feet were badly scarred up and what wasn’t covered in old scars looked like old and tough leather.

  “I haven't really felt anything through my feet for a long time now,” Diamond said as she put her foot back down. “Come on, let's get this over with.”

  Diamond and Aziza were sitting in the back of a limo that was diving up a driveway that led to the rgest manor that Aziza had ever seen in her life. Diamond was slightly grumbling as they pulled up to the front steps after another limo dropped off some people.

  “Stay close and if someone grabs, sp them.” Diamond said as a man in a suit and winter coat outside the limo went open the door.

  “I was thinking of just mauling their face off.” Aziza joked and Diamond smirked before getting out of the limo as the door was opened. Diamond helped Aziza out of the limo and the two walked on the red carpet that led them up to the front doors.

  Diamond pulled an invite out of her dress coat when they got to the doorman, “Diamond Silvervine, with plus one, who is my ward, Aziza Smith.” Diamond said as handed the invite to the doorman.

  “Welcome to the party, Miss. Silvervine and Miss. Smith.” The doorman said and Diamond nodded. “Madame Goldmire will be very happy to see you here.”

  “She is probably the only one who will be happy to see me.” Diamond muttered under her breath as the two went through the doors. Inside the lobby there were other workers guiding guests to the party or taking coats if they had it.

  Aziza was amazed by the size of the lobby, it was three times as big as Silvervine manor’s lobby. “How can one live in a manor this big?” Aziza whispered.

  “They don’t, this pce is only for parties like this.” Diamond replied without looking back and paused to allow Aziza walk beside her. “Or they rent it out for charity events.”

  Diamond stopped in front of double set doors and Aziza could hear music and chatter coming behind them. Diamond took in a deep breath before letting out a big sigh and Aziza heard someone announcing their names before the door opened up.

  When the doors opened Aziza saw a rge ballroom filled with people and the chattering lowered when the doors opened up. Aziza could feel almost all their eyes on them, or they were more focused on Diamond and Aziza was after thought.

  As the two walked into the room people moved out of the way and gave Diamond a wide berth as Diamond walked by. Aziza was picking a lot of emotion from people but most of them were nervous. Aziza felt like she was a mouse riding on the back of a lion as no one truly focused on her.

  Diamond stopped at a group of people before speaking, “Hello, Mrs. Vi.” Diamond’s voice was colder and dripping with venom. Aziza also felt like the area around Diamond got colder and uneasy. “Sorry but my baby sister couldn’t make it.”

  An older Asian woman, who stood at five feet and two inches, turned around and she was wearing a deep blue Ao Dai dress that had a golden floral design on it. She fshes open a one hand fan to cover the lower half of her face and familiar vibrant blue eyes looking at them. Her hair was completely white and tied up in a tight bun that rested on the crown of her head.

  “That’s too bad,” She responded and Aziza noticed Mrs. Vi’s body nguage was showing she was uncomfortable being there with Diamond. “I was hoping to see my granddaughter tonight.”

  Aziza felt someone gently tug on her right arm and she quickly looked to see Belle. She was wearing a double slit icy blue sequin dress and it had a deep plunge neckline. Her hair was loose and her bang hid one of her eyes.

  ‘Step back with me.’ Belle whispered and Aziza nodded. She tried her best to silently step back with Belle and out of the way. Diamond gnced back to check on Aziza but returned full focus on Mrs. Vi when Diamond saw Belle.

  “I remember my mother telling you never try to get involved with Tullia’s life.” Diamond said and gnced at the people Mrs. Vi was talking before she showed up. “So which one were you thinking of introducing to my baby sister?”

  Mrs. Vi froze up when Diamond mentioned Amaris, “I don’t kn-” She was cut off when Diamond moved to have face inches away from hers.

  Mrs. Vi hated this feeling, feeling small and helpless, and both Diamond and Amaris have made her feel this. Even though Diamond was almost the same height of Mrs. Vi, she looked massive and Diamond’s silver eyes sent chills down Mrs. Vi’s spine making it impossible for her to find her words.

  “Mrs. Vi, is this your granddaughter?” A male voice with a thick Asian accent broke the tension and made Diamond side eye male who spoke out. “I’m Huynh Bao.”

  Bao stood at least five feet and eight inches. He was holding two flutes of champagne and wearing a simple three piece suit with a red tie. Aziza thought the man looked simir to one of those K-Pop stars but to Diamond he looked like a dead man walking.

  He was about to say something, “How old are you?” Diamond interrupted while only looking at him from the side of her eye. “Do you know my baby sister is fourteen?”

  Bao froze up from Diamond’s voice and when Tullia’s age came up he started to sweat. He took one step back up and in a fsh Diamond had punched him in the face. Bao nded on her back like a sack of potatoes and before he could get up Diamond put her foot on his chest.

  “Y-You c-can’t do this, do you kn-” Bao was cut off when Diamond put pressure on his chest. Almost everyone in the ballroom was silent and soaking up events unfolding, few whispering among themselves.

  Diamond looked over her shoulder to Mrs. Vi, who was horrified by Diamond’s violence, “Let this be a reminder, old hag, don’t mess with my family.” Diamond lifted her foot off Bao’s chest and Bao felt relief feeling her foot off him.

  In one quick and powerful movement Diamond’s foot smmed down on Bao’s crotch. Every male that saw it gasped and turned their pelvis away while Bao gasped for air and Mrs. Vi fainted into the arms of people behind her.

  Aziza could smell of copper coming from Bao and out of nowhere someone started to cp. “Bravo bravo, my cute little niece gave us a good show.” A female voice called out.

  The crowd moved to let a native american woman with short slick back dark brown hair, who stood at five feet and six inches tall, wearing white dress with slit on the right side and sweetheart neckline. She had a silver burn scar on the center of chest, and a cut on the right side of neck. While she had cw marks on right shoulder, left forearm, a scar ran across her face and a smaller scar on the left side of her face under her eye. Her eyes were bright golden like the sun and her sclera was bck, just like Amaris’ sclera.

  “Aunt Sona,” Diamond sighed and her voice returned to a calmer tone. Diamond walked over to Sona and gnced over to Aziza and Belle.

  Belle gently tapped Aziza’s back and whispered into her ear, “Go, and rex.” Aziza slightly jumped and walked towards Diamond and looked back to see Belle walking towards Ophelia, who was in light blue halter hollow out backless chain fishtail dress.

  “So you're my little niece’s new ward, Aziza Smith, right?” Sona asked while she gently and pyfully pinched Diamond’s cheek. “She hasn’t given you too much time.”

  “N-No, she’s been an amazing teacher, Mrs. Goldmire.” Aziza said and Sona noticed Aziza slightly stiff and nervous. Aziza noticed a small scar on the right side of Sona’s lip and remembered Amrais has a simir scar.

  “You can just call me Sona, Sweetie.” Sona said and noticed Aziza was looking at her lip scar. “Enjoying my druid love bit?” Sona gnced around then cpped her hands together. “Let’s move away from this spot for better vibes.”

  Diamond gnced around and nodded her head, “Yes, let’s move.” Diamond said and her eyes scanned the crowd. This causes a lot of them to return chattering with each other and ignore them.

  Sona led them to the other side of the ballroom and close to a table filled with food of all sorts, the majority of it meat dishes. “I do apologize for helping that old hag in getting you to come to this party.” Sona said and Diamond narrowed her eyes. “I knew you would never come unless you needed to.”

  “It could have been done in a better way.” Diamond slightly snarled and Sona just shrugged. “So why did you want me here so important that you almost put my baby sister in a stressful event?”

  Sona grabbed a flute of champagne and remote as the waiter came over to them, “To give you a very special birthday gift.” Sona said as she looked past Diamond.

  Diamond looked over her shoulder and Aziza felt the air turn cold once more as Diamond spun around. “What is it?” Aziza asked as tried to follow Diamond gaze.

  Sona put the remote to her mouth, “The main event of this evening will start soon, please leave the arena circle as it’s lowered.” Sona’s words said over speakers on the roof.

  Aziza’s attenuation went to people starting to move and she finally noticed there was a rge circle in the center of the room floor. Sona clicked a button once everyone was off the circle and the floor started to lower. As the circle on the floor lowered it started to fill some sand and from the roof came down a jumbotron.

  Sona leaned down to Diamond’s ear, “Happy Birthday, Diamond.” Sona whispered before Aziza watched Diamond lumbering towards someone.

  Aziza’s eyes followed Diamond’s pathing and her eyes locked on a familiar face, Jack turner. His blonde hair was cut short and slicked back. He was clean shaven and he was wearing a white dress shirt with no tie and bck dress pants.

  Diamond felt her blood pumping hot the closer she got to her target and her vision was tunneled on him. When she got up to him, he was chatting up someone by the edge of the arena, “Jack Turner,” Diamond snarled, making Jack look at her.

  In one quick and smooth movement Diamond spartan kicked Jack in the gut and sent him flying into the arena pit. Diamond walked off the edge to nd on her feet and rotated her neck as Jack tried to get back to his feet.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight the first fight is Jack Turner, an escape felon, vs Diamond Silvervine, The White Beast of Wacksqueslia City.” Sona’s voice said over the speakers once more. Aziza and Sona had made their way to the edge of the arena.

  The arena had stopped moving down and the walls around it were fifteen feet tall. The sand covers the floor to act like a cushion for fighters and around the edge some guardrails are raised up for people to lean on while watching the fight.

  Jack had gotten back on his voice and stared at Diamond, “You li-” He was cut off by Diamond rushing him and started with a right hook to his jaw and followed up with a fury of punches.

  Aziza gripped guardrail as Diamond dominated the fight and Jack could barely put a guard. “I can barely keep up with her movement.” Aziza heard a few others whisper simir things.

  “They’re going to have a harder time when Diamond gets serious.” Aziza muttered and Sona raised her brow. “She’s toying with him and giving a lot of openings.”

  “Guess Diamond trained you by sparring with you?” Sona asked and Aziza nodded but kept watching the fight. “She must ring your bell a few times.”

  Aziza slightly grumbles from the memories of her on her back after being punched by Diamond in the many practice sparring matches. Her focus went back to the match the moment Jack was able to grab Diamond’s suit jacket colr.

  “Got you little b-” Jack was once again cut off when Diamond slipped out of her coat and spinned kicked Jack in the gut. Jack was sent flying and tumbled a few feet away from Diamond. “What is your pr-” Jack's face turned from frustration to fear as his eyes locked onto Diamond’s back.

  Diamond looked over her shoulder before rolling his shoulder and turned around. “Remember me now?” Diamond asked and tilted her head a bit. “Because I haven’t forgotten about you and what you did to me and my sister.”

  “I-Impossible, both of you died that day.” Jack muttered and scrambled to get back to his feet. Fear and panic was pstered on his face as Diamond started moving to him but something clicked in his mind and he started ughing like a mad man.

  “What’s so funny?” Sona whispered while her eyes narrowed as Diamond stopped in her step. Jack ripped open his dress shirt and showed his bare chest, revealing a symbol carved into his chest. “That mad man!”

  “I’M TRULY IMMORTAL NOW WITH THIS!” Jack ughed and Aziza looked to Sona for context. “WITH MARK OF ASMODEUS YOU CAN’T KILL ME!”

  Jack kept madly ughing but trailed off as he looked at Diamond's face. Aziza couldn’t see Diamond’s face, “Look up.” Sona said and Aziza looked up to the jumbotron. Aziza felt a chill down her spine as she saw Diamond’s face had a twisted smile on her face.

  Diamond started ughing and Aziza had heard Diamond ugh before but her ughter this time was twisted and manic before it suddenly stopped. “Good to know.” Diamond stated before disappearing in fsh and reappearing in front of Jack, with her forearms transformed.

  Aziza could barely catch Diamond’s movement but the next thing she saw was Jack missing his lower jaw and the same lower jaw embedded in the arena wall. Jack was confused as his brain couldn’t comprehend what just happened and his instincts told him to run.

  When he tried to run Diamond’s other hand was holding his upper arm and Diamond pulled back using her strength and his momentum of running away to rip off his arm. Jack tried to let out a scream and fell to his knees.

  Diamond walked over to Jack, grabbed a clump of his hair, and smmed his face into the ground. Diamond mounted Jack and slowly started to cut open Jack’s back. Everyone was silent, some due to horror, and others trying not to cheer.

  “The mark of Asmodeus is bck and forbidden magic,” Sona said and Aziza looked at Sona. “It is meant to make one immortal, it is useless for vampires as they are already semi-immortal beings.”

  “But werebeasts aren’t, we are just long-lived.” Aziza said and Sona smiled from Aziza’s sharp mind. “Besides being forbidden, what are the other drawbacks and the reason why other criminals don’t use it?”

  “Can’t die but the Werebeast healing factor is weakened.” Sona expined. “If they lose a limb, they can’t reattach it by stitching it back on, they will need a surgeon and it needs to be done within an hour of being removed.”

  “Sounds like a lot of drawbacks for a shitter type of immortality…” Aziza trailed off as started to ponder and rubbing her chin. “This spell wasn’t made for vampires or werebeasts, it was made by a human, right?”

  “Clever and with no hints,” Sona chimed and patted Aziza’s head. “It was indeed made by a human and he made it so he could live as long as his vampire wife.”

  Jack let out a loud gurgled scream and Sona sighed before jumping over the guardrail into the arena. Sona picked up Diamond’s suit jacket and made her way to Diamond, who had just ripped off one of Jack’s legs and tossed it to the side. “I think that is enough, Diamond.” Sona said.

  Diamond looked over her shoulder to Sona and then snorted. “Fine,” Diamond muttered as her forearms returned to normal. Sona put Diamond’s suit jacket on her shoulders. “Thank you.”

  “Your limo is waiting for you.” Sona whispered and gave Diamond a small nod. Diamond fixed her jacket before hopping up to grab the guardrail and pulled herself over it.

  Aziza walked over to Diamond, “Time to go?” Aziza asked and Diamond sighed with a small nod. Everyone cleared a path for Diamond and Aziza and getting to the limo was just as easy.

  Once the two were settled in the back seat Aziza let out a giggle and Diamond raised a brow. “Ophelia is going to scold you for sure now.” Aziza giggled. “Because your clothing is just ruined.”

  Diamond paused before letting out loud groan and throwing her head back, “Fuck…” Diamond muttered as she realized Ophelia was in the crowd as well. “I can’t hide the fact they are ruined.”

  The limo pulled into the Silvervine manor and they noticed the other limo pulling up behind them. “Guess their party was short-lived too.” Aziza said.

  Diamond opened the door to their limo and got out of it at the same time as her father. Anderson looked towards Diamond, “Not mine.” Diamond quickly cimed. “Long story, not worth talking about right now.”

  Anderson sighed before helping Lay out of the limo and her lips and chest was just covered in blood. Aziza got out and panicked when she saw this, “Not mine.” Lay quickly sighed.

  “We had a long night,” Anderson sighed, “Why don’t all of you clean up before Tullia sees you, agreed?” Everyone nodded and Anderson started to walk upstairs to the front door. “I’ll run interference.”

  Anderson went inside and Aziza went over to Lay to hug but Lay stopped her. “No hug yet.” Lay stated and Aziza took her arm. “Also I think I’m banned from going to social coven events now.”

  “Good for you, you get less stress lines.” Diamond said as she walked up the stairs.