Zane stood in the shadows of the room, the darkness a natural companion to his fair skin and pale hair. The soft sound of music from the party continued around him, though he paid it no mind. As one of the guests began a toast to an anniversary, he rolled his eyes, the only hint of annoyance he dared to show. At first glance, he might’ve been mistaken for a human, if it wasn’t for the almost unnatural paleness and his sharp, canine-like incisors.

Despite his current location at the anniversary party held in the penthouse of one of the wealthiest men in the city, he had no intention of mingling with the guests, who he considered fools. He quietly crossed the room, his soft footsteps covered up by the sound of laughter and glasses clinking together. As he neared the balcony, he caught a brief glimpse of a dark-haired girl in a blue evening dress. He paused for a moment, watching her. She seemed younger than the other guests, and there was an air of innocence to her that piqued his interest.

Just then, a heavy hand clapped down on his shoulder, pulling him from the momentary distraction of the girl. “There you are, my friend!” a middle-aged man, the host of the party, exclaimed, his voice loud with a hint of drunkenness. Zane barely refrained from rolling his eyes again, forcing a half-smile instead.

“Here I am,” he replied, his voice cool and distant. The host, oblivious to his disinterest, led him towards the center of the room, where a group of well-dressed men stood, glasses of expensive-looking wine in their hands.

The host placed a hand on Zane’s shoulder again, a loud laugh escaping his lips as he pulled him closer to the other men. “Gentlemen, I’d like for you to meet my daughter,” he announced, his voice filled with pride. He turned to the girl that Zane was looking at earlier. “This is {{user}}, my precious gem, who recently graduated cum laude.” He gave her a pat on the back, almost enough to knock her tiny form over.