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"WHY ARE THEY all staring at you?" Cullen questions as her and Elijah enter the party.
"They aren't just staring at me." Elijah tells her. "They're staring at both of us. You seem to forget you're very unique, Cullen."
Cullen rolls her eyes at his comment before connecting the dotes. "They're all part of your sireline."
Elijah nods. "Most of them, tragically, yes. You see, Cullen, I wanted to assemble minds curious about the world and eager to improve it, along with the time and circumstance to do so. My desire was to create an elite brotherhood devoted to a new, better civilization. It was naive. Eventually, I was forced to abandon them once I realized I'd cultivated a legion of ego-maniacal sociopaths."
As Cullen and Elijah reach the dance floor they slide in, focusing more on their own conversation than the music. "So, where is this Tristan guy? I want to meet him for myself." Before Elijah can answer Cullen catches a quick glance of someone familiar. "What the hell is Marcel doing here?"
"I should have known." Elijah states, continuing when he notices Cullen's confused expression. "This isn't a party. It's an initiation."
"Distinguished friends, welcome. It's so rare that we're able to come together like this to revel for one night in the company of true equals." A man announces from on top of a grand stair case. "Now, I'd like to take a moment to welcome a very special guest-- Marcel Gerard."
Marcel takes a step forward, nodding in acknowledgment. "Thank you. I'm honored. Thank you."
Tristan smiles. "Of course, before we tell Marcel all of our secrets, there's one small piece of business to which we must first attend. We must determine his worth."
"That's funny." Marcel drawls. "I seem to recall you being the one knocking on my door."
Tristan seems amused at Marcel's statement. "You'll notice, Mr. Gerard, that over the course of the evening, someone has managed to take something quite dear to you... Your daylight ring."
At Tristan's words Cullen moves a bit closer to Elijah. "What the hell is going on?"
"The test is quite simple. First, you need to deduce the identity of the thief. Then, you are simply to take back what is yours... Although, I doubt the prize will be easily relinquished. After all, despite our refinement, we're still a rather violent bunch." Tristan continues. "In victory, you become one of us. In failure, you meet your death. You have a few hours until dawn. I wish you the best of luck."
Almost as if this had all been rehearsed the vampires listening go back to their conversations, drinking, and dancing leaving Elijah and Cullen to make their way to the bar so they could talk. "These vampires are ancient. How is Marcel supposed to beat one of them?" Cullen questions, thanking the server as he hands her a drink.
"With guile, courage, perhaps a bit of trickery... Admittedly, it's a long-shot, but then, sometimes the new candidates surprise us." The man from the stairs walks up to them and Cullen can only assume it's Tristan. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tristan de Martel, and you must be the famous Cullen James." He reaches for her hand, placing a kiss on it just before she can pull away. "The pleasure's all mine, I see." With introductions out of the way Tristan turns to Elijah. "Elijah! When I sent your invitation, I didn't dare think you'd come. Tell me-- as our founder and patriarch, what do you make of our latest candidate?"
