1: Day of Roses

It was the Day of Roses. And Sky, the Princess of Shadows, would be receiving nithing but the finest roses. Yellow for friendship. Red for passion and devotion. White for foreverness and love. Pink for a crush. Black to symbolize the kingdom. She always received a white one from her father and gave another to him. And she lways received many of each kind from her suitors, friends, and other nobles.

The few vampires were part of an elite class. Her mother was human and her father a vampire. Sky was told she had a twin sister, but that her twin who held their mother's qualitites as she had their father's had disappeared along with their mother.

Ironically, the symbol of the vampires used by the humans is the black rose. So every year she would receive bouquets from the vampire families with roses of the various colors and a black rose with thorns added to the bunch.

This year she was anxious to see her vampire friend, Shane,and receive the yellow rose he always gave her at the dance. They'd been best friends since they first met. She was one and he was two.

Sky was a rich and beautiful socialite. At midnight she would attend the Thorned Rose Masquerade Ball. Vampires funded it but anyone could attend. And me, being the Princess, am expected to dance with every person who gives me a rose.

She would wear her dark brown lipstick and her devious- but- innocent smile. And, her dress would now be finished; waiting in her suite. Sky would wear the onyx choket her father had bought her for her 16th birthday to accessorize the deep dark green satin gown decorated with diamonds so when she twirled and danced she would outshine the moon and outdo everyone there.

Sky had to be the most beautiful. She really is the most breathtaking with her dark brown almost black hair that reached her lower back and purple eyes like uncut amethyst. When she got bored her lips would go into a small pout until a boy would come talk to her. But, Shane barely ever left her alone.

And for her mask, she would wear the one she bought in Paris, and her earrings would be the sparkling emeralds. No one would be able to take their eyes off her. It would be a fabulous night that would remain purely unforgettable.