The greatest moments, Gliss reflected, could be discovered in the unlikeliest of places.

Standing in one of the vacant chambers in the Estate's upper regions, she stood staring in amazement at a huge, ornate mirror while Capper's thrall, Lilly fussed her way through the finishing touches of her attire for the Synod.

The sleeveless black dress she now wore hugged her body from throat to thigh, where it gently flowed outward until it the soft, airy fabric swished around her ankles. Just visible below the hem of the skirt were a pair of gleaming high-heeled shoes, wedging her feet into an unfamiliar position and adding a good two inches to her height. The scars on her arms had been neatly covered up by a pair of long satin gloves that reached all the way up past her elbows. Around her neck hung a necklace of glittering silver, which held at its centre an emerald the size of a golf ball. Where Lilly had managed to find such a discarded treasure she could only guess at.

Right now she didn't care. Gazing at the reflection in the mirror, Gliss barely recognised herself. What's more, she liked what she saw. Gone was the rough-hewn footsoldier from the wilds of the North, replaced by a creature of complete grace, and even beauty. It wasn't a word that floated around in her life very often.

A final tug made her gasp, then Lilly appeared by her side, head meekly bowed. "Are you comfortable, milady?"

"I've asked you not to call me that." She gave the timid vampire a pitying smile. "And yes, it feels fine, thanks." Without thinking she gently ran her fingers down the sides of the dress, feeling the contours of her body perfectly accentuated by the slim fit. It was surprisingly comfortable – a combination of skilled tailoring and Lilly's expertise in wrestling unwilling occupants into tight spaces.

"Then, if you're ready, I'll show you to the motor pool."

Part of her still couldn't believe Capper had managed to convince the Glaive Elders to let her attend the Synod. Clearly he had a faster mind than he let on – or maybe she'd just been underestimating him all along. Whatever the case, she found herself inexorably in his debt as she followed Lilly down through the mansion towards the atrium.

The closer they drew to the estate's exit, the more vampires joined them in a garish procession of formidable glamour. She recognised some of the Elders from the introductions Capper had made, but there were plenty that she didn't know. All of them oozed beauty and power. Jewels glittered under the light of the gas-lamps and dresses rasped softly against moving legs. The male vampires formed a kaleidoscope of greys, blacks, browns and blues, most clad in immaculately fitted suits – some sporting waistcoats and cravats. She spotted the individual she knew as Marshall moving in perfect stride, ice-white shirt hanging loosely from his frame, with his deep brass-coloured jacket slung nonchalantly over one shoulder. Through them all, snake-like coils of cigarette smoke writhed, eerie, like wraiths in the air.

And she caught more than once glance filled with what she could only describe as astonishment. Clearly, despite her exploits so far, no-one could quite believe that a scruff like her could be transformed in such a way. She might've been offended if she hadn't been just as surprised.

It didn't take long for them to reach the atrium. Gliss didn't even notice Lilly peel away, slipping back into the shadows as she was caught up in the procession. Her eyes roved left and right, hunting for an elusive figure in the throng. So far Capper hadn't appeared, and she had to admit, she was curious to see what the thralls had managed to accomplish with him.

What she did see was a vicious sidelong glare that scythed across the room like a flung hand-axe. Brooke was on the far side of the room, but that didn't deaden the sheer hatred that passed through that one look. The other vampire was glad in a flowing dress of glittering evergreen, her arms weighed down with a shop's worth of jewels. Her hair had been wrestled into an elaborate cone, and Gliss could see a set of formidable sapphire heels glinting from beneath the dress.

Brooke's eyes flashed away quickly, but Gliss could feel the lingering sensation of loathing and physically shuddered. Pushing the feeling out of her mind, she tried to relax, fastening her gaze on the open gates of the estate and the night beyond.

She made it four steps over the threshold and then spotted Capper.

She gazed at him in the moonlight, his lean frame perfectly encased in a jet black suit. His steel-grey silk shirt lay two buttons open at the throat, revealing the glint of a silver chain at the top of his chest. His normally chaotic hair had been crow-barred into place, now trimmed to neatness and swept over to one side. All in all, he'd performed an exquisite transformation into one of the most beautiful creatures she'd ever laid eyes on.

And despite it all his turquoise eyes remained as enrapturing as ever. Try as she might, Gliss couldn't shove the distracting thoughts out of her mind. She'd never had the chance of anything like this, with anyone like him, not in Iron Hollow. Back home everything had a function; a definitive purpose, even couplings that failed to meet the Elders' standards were dismissed. Here pleasure seemed to run through everything, an invisible thread that coiled around all the tension and conflict to make it all just a tiny bit more bearable. Even if she'd had to lie and manoeuvre her way into it, this was an experience she wouldn't forget.

Lost as she was in her thoughts it took her a moment to realise that Capper was staring at her too.

"You look..." He grinned, shaking his head. "Wow."

She felt her skin tingle and a bashful smile slipped across her face. "Thanks. So do you."

"Well, now that we look the part, shall we...?" He gestured to the row of waiting limousines, ready to ferry Glaive's best and brightest to the Synod.

Gliss stepped close, heart thundering as she slipped her arm through his. "Let's."

And together they descended the steps.

Amazed, she joined the queue to enter the dozen sleek, bullet-black vehicles. Ahead of them she just caught sight of Brooke's green dress disappearing into one car with a slim male vampire who's face she couldn't quite catch.

"So you and Brooke," she murmured quietly as the queue moved forward.

"You want to talk about that now?" he chuckled.

"Well...not really. I was just wondering-,"

"Forget about it. Tonight it's just you and me, and we've got a job to do."

Gliss smiled thinly and squeezed his arm. "I can live with that."

With Capper pulling her lightly along, she let herself be led into the waiting doorway of their vehicle. A tall, heavily built Glaive guard stood at the door, clad in jet black clothes and a long leather coat, is bolt-thrower hanging from a strap around his neck. He pulled the door of the limousine open; it slid to one side soundlessly and Capper sidestepped, gesturing to the plush interior beyond. She hesitated a moment. The sight of the shining, gleaming seats froze her for an instant. It all felt so surreal.

But then she felt a gentle hand on the small of her back and the tiniest of pushes. It was enough to unfreeze her limbs. She smiled at the guard and stooped, folding herself into the far seat with some difficulty thanks to the dress. A moment later, Capper joined her, and the car door thumped shut. A sibilant hum of the engine coming to life sounded before she felt the faint sway of motion as the limousine set off through the streets of Veridian shores.

Clasping her hands on her lap, Gliss tried to steady her galloping nerves, focusing on the gas-lights of the streets and glowing night windows. They glided swiftly through the city's veins, and she could tell that the driver was an expert – she barely felt the twists and turns at the convoy wound its way towards Baelock territory like a wheeled snake. The lights blurred and she tried not to think about the daunting task ahead. She liked playing by ear – thrived on it even – but taking on the most powerful clan in the city hadn't really been part of the game plan.

They turned a corner and suddenly the limousine decelerated, down to the equivalent of a leisurely stroll. A twinge shot through her mind as she felt sets of eyes lock onto them, tracking the vehicle. She glanced questioningly at Capper.

"Feel that?" he said without looking at her, gazing out the window. "We just crossed into Baelock territory. You can't see them, but every roof-top's got a Baelock guard on it, watching and waiting."

"Paranoid bunch, eh?" she replied dryly.

"Show me someone in this damn city who isn't."

Gliss smirked at that. Apart from him, the rest of Veridian Shores seemed to be wound so tightly that a single vibration could snap the whole thing. Narrowing her eyes, she scanned the roofs of the buildings as they slid by. Once or twice she caught an unmistakable dark silhouette against the night sky – sentinels watching every turn of a wheel that passed below them.

After a few minutes of searching for shadows, she forced herself to relax back against the plush seat of the limousine. It was beyond doubt that she was deep in enemy territory now. If she wanted to make it out alive, she didn't need to put herself on edge. However, that decision was soon taken out of her hands when the convoy made its final, looping turn and cleared the clustered buildings in the heart of Veridian Shores.

When they caught sight of the Baelock estate Gliss's jaw literally dropped.

She'd seen a lot of big, scary things in her time as a vampire, but nothing in Iron Hollow even approached the spectacle of the home of Veridian Shores' largest clan. The massive structure sprawled hundreds of meters from left to right, a baroque fortress that had power seeping from every brick. Even before they exited the limousine she could feel the tremendous concentration of Aspects contained within those sin-black walls.

Golden light spilled from arched windows to illuminate the grounds. Gone were the long, rolling tracts of grass that ringed the Glaive estate, replaced by a plain of gleaming white marble criss-crossed with rivers of coloured water. At regular intervals tall, pillared towers speared up into the night, surmounted by the dark figures of Baelock guards, ever-watchful and even more so on this night.

The car turned onto an immense road easily wide enough for vehicles to travel four abreast. Barriers sloped up on either side, cut into the very landscape by the estate's builders to guide the coming deluge of guests directly into the maw of Clan Baelock. An anxious well of trepidation boiled up within her as the enormity of her task came abruptly home. She swallowed hard, shrinking back against the seat.

Without thinking she reached across and grabbed Capper's hand. For a moment he didn't react, and then his fingers slid between hers. His grip tightened into a reassuring squeeze.

"You alright?" he whispered.

"I will be," she answered, although she couldn't stop herself grasping his hand more tightly; a rock of stability. "I just ... I didn't realise it would be so big."

"It takes a bit of getting used to."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Gliss looked at him sharply. Part of her wouldn't have blamed him for wanting to back out of the whole venture. The other part of her knew they'd come much too far for that.

She needn't have worried. An easy smile spread across his face. "Don't worry about me. I'm going to see this through."

Although the tremor in her heartstrings lessened at his words, she still kept a firm grip on his hand, and for his part, Capper seemed happy for her to do so. Leaning her head against the window, she tried to catch sight of the entrance to the gargantuan building. She could see a bloom of light up ahead, and their vehicle began to slow as they approached it.

Then came a series of stops and starts, and she realised that the cars ahead had reached the main doors and were unloading their precious cargo. She ran her tongue around the sharp contours of her fangs, a sense of determination descending on her. This was why she'd been sent. If there was one person in her clan who could walk into this fortress, and walk out with they needed, it was her. Tonight she would either die, or etch herself into the annals of history forever.

They stepped out of the limousine and Gliss looked up, trying to cram the looming structure into her vision. The main entrance was made up of two monolithic slabs of dark wood, each of them thirty feet in height, and reinforced with a medieval lattice of iron bars. A tide of Aspects spilled out of the gaping double doors to slam into her mind, and it was all she could do not to stagger under the impact as she tried to sort through the mental deluge.

The marble stairway that tapered up towards the entrance shone under the huge exterior gas-lights, and down each side two rows of immaculately attired Baelock guards stood. The two at the top carried bolt-throwers – larger and more elaborate than those carried by their Glaive counterparts – and the rest bore ornate, single-headed axes. They glittered with decorative jewels, but Gliss had little doubt that this honour guard were more than capable of putting those axes to lethal use.

Sucking in a steadying breath of crisp night air, Gliss straightened her back, pressing herself into the role of ambassador for Clan Glaive. She checked that her long gloves were secure to keep her scars concealed, then Capper arrived by her side. She could see that even he was feeling apprehension now, his head tilting back slightly as his eyes flickered left and right. She also noticed that more than one of the Baelock guards clocked his presence, eyes fixing on the Glaive Elder-Blood.

"Are you ready?" he asked softly, looking at her.

Flashing him a fanged smile, Gliss nodded once, slipping her arm through his. "As ready as I'm going to be."

"You look beautiful."

"Oh..." She blinked in surprise. "Thanks, I-,"

"Sorry." He smiled. "It's just, once we're inside we'll be looking at everything except each other. So I thought I'd tell you now."

"I dunno, I think I'll spare you a glance now and then." She forced down the tremors of apprehension, pushed up unsteadily up onto one set of toes, and planted a kiss on his cheek.

And then, side by side, they mounted the steps, rising into the waiting jaws of the Baelock mansion.