Assir ushered me to a tiny corner where he began filling a plate for me. "An excuse to avoid dancing for a while." He had said while grinning over his shoulder. I had not realized how obvious I made my hatred for socializing, but surely it was enough. As I shoveled one spoonful of food at a time into my mouth, Assir blocked my tiny existence from view. If anyone approached, he immediately went 'work mode' and let them know I was too famished to dance. This has already happened a few times. He wouldn't be able to keep it up the entire night, but I appreciated the effort anyhow.
"How long do you think we can avoid dancing?" I asked, mouth still partially full.
"Until the mandatory first dance with yours truly." He called over his shoulder. "Right now, they can only ask, but I'll admit some of these men make it hard to say no. I don't mean that in the good way." He leaned his head against the pillar to our right. "They don't mean any harm, but they could be considered too eager."
"Why would they be so eager?" I asked through another bite. "It isn't like the women can only pick one of them, so it seems like they have good odds."
"Not necessarily." He sighed. "Women tend to be careful with their choices in terms of coupling, regardless of how many partners they can have. And, while courting and mating bonds can be broken, a coupling ceremony cannot, so they are a rare occurrence."
"Is that so?" I asked.
"There are exceptions, but you could say that the men with higher status are the ones who have the most pull in the ring. Sometimes, they have more choice than the ladies themselves." He started to turn his body towards me, causing me to swallow my mouth full of food hastily. It was too late though. He chuckled into the back of his hand and said, "You look like a small rodent with your cheeks full like that."
Through my dry throat I managed a simple, "Don't be a dick." I followed with a large gulp from the cup Assir then handed to me with that devilish grin.
"I would never, my lady." He said, placing his free hand over his heart as if he were hurt at my deduction. I only rolled my eyes and continued drinking.
In that moment, the lighting in the room shifted to a deep blue. I looked to Assir. He only bowed, holding an opened hand between us. 'Let the dancing begin,' The empress's words echoed in my mind. I took Assir's hand, and we strode side by side to the dancefloor. Light collected again at the center of the floor. Three pairs of women and their sponsors circled around the geometric picture of the sun surrounding a crescent moon in the middle of the floor. Three? I counted again to confirm. There were only three, including Assir and I. There was a pair missing, I realized. It was the other Earthwoman and her sponsor… Nevertheless though, the dance began.
Assir and I twirled and twirled, just like every morning we had practiced during this past week at the manor. But now, we were in perfect alignment. I no longer stepped on his feet, and I no longer felt dizzy from the endless spinning. His hand on my waist was still sending my mind to dirty places, but my focus was better. He dipped and spun and whipped and whirled me around and round. As the music initiated in its slow descend, Assir pulled me into a final embrace, bending my spine backward with a soft hand supporting the lowest portion of my backside. His face was only inches from my own when he said, "Indeed, you are the best student a teacher could hope for." We shared something intimate in the short seconds our eyes peered into one another. I couldn't say precisely what it was in that moment. Perhaps, it was longing?
Within seconds, however, we were both standing upright. And with few words, Assir left me in the center of the floor. "I will be close by if you need me, my lady." Is all he said, a hint of disappointment in his tone.
Surely, Von Mae is a fortune teller. There was an undying line of men of all shapes, sizes, and ages waiting their turn to dance with me. The younger ones were given priority in line as they were to be leaving the party midway through. No matter the age though, they all asked me the same kinds of questions. What Earth was like, how I like it in Prospertinia, and inevitably if I was looking for a match now. Assir was right when he said many of them came off a bit too eager. From the younger ones, I could understand it. But, from the older ones, it made my stomach churn a bit.
Midway through the night an announcement was made for the younger attendees to flee, and more foods including various alcohols were brought almost simultaneously. I decided I would take the opportunity to slip away while no one was looking and made my careful way behind another one of the pillars, but not before swiping a few cookies from the nearest dessert table. From behind the pillar, I searched for Assir's location but to no avail. In all the excitement I noticed the other two ladies slipped away to the buffet tables at the opposite side of my own. They had the courage to remain in sight though. I saw the serpent lady wave away a few enthusiasts before continuing to devour one of every meat dish available. The small pale girl stood in a corner by another pillar checking her nails before her sponsor returned to her, a glass of red wine in hand. He knelt on both knees before lifting the cup to her outstretched hand. She took the glass, swirling the dark liquid, creating tornadoes in her cup, seemingly unimpressed. With another silent gesture toward the man with her small hand, he fell lower to his forearms to which she took a seat on his curved back.
A glimpse of deep blue caught my attention toward the archways. The other Earthwoman was surrounded by a swarm of male creatures on all sides. Her body caved in on itself. She could not look up from the ground as they hounded her to dance with them. I felt so bad for the girl who couldn't say no. My body started on its own. I rushed around the crowd, weaving through any opening I found. I nonchalantly ignored any man who dared call out to me, but before I could make it close enough, a familiar figure stepped effortlessly through the swarm. Assir diffused the situation with ease, setting a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder. While I was happy the men surrounding the woman began to disperse, never mind the muttered curses under their breath, something about the scene irked me.
I had planned to approach the two of them, to nuzzle in between them. I intended to make sure the girl was okay, but firmly lay claim to the man I came here with. However, yet another familiar figure stood only a few feet ahead of me, and he recognized me. "Eve!" He called from his mossy bearded mouth. Why the hell is he calling me by my name? Damn, potbelly pig. I cursed in my own head. Before he could approach any further, I turned tail and bailed. I pretended not to hear the call after that too. I only focused my energy on weaving through the crowd once more until I came to a dead end, another large archway covered by heavy yellow drapery. My only option was to slip behind the drapes, so I did.
I peeked from the dark hallway, peering into the ballroom that was still so bright and full of chatter, and took a deep breath. The quiet was nice. When I heard the music pick back up again through the curtain, I couldn't bring myself to go back. Instead, I decided it wouldn't be too terrible if I could find a quiet little place to reenergize myself. I followed along the massive empty hallway; the only noises were the clicking of my heels on the stone beneath me. The sounds echoed in the void. I found no seating area on the ground floor, and while I came to the end of the hall, I nearly made contact with one of the staff. This urged me to move up a floor, and then two. From the third-floor, moonlight shown through the towering glass windows lining the entire hall. At the end, I found a balcony. Perfect.
I stepped outside of the glass double doors into the cool night air and made my way to the balcony's edge. The moon shown bright and heavy in the sky, and beside it, hung another smaller moon. This was just another reminder to me that I was not on Earth anymore. I was not alive anymore. Stars plastered the sky behind a thin veil of fog. I inhaled crisp night air cyclically, leaning my body weight against the stone railing. Then, I remembered something especially important. "My last cookie!" I cheered to myself as I pulled the round of baked dough from my cleavage. I was a woman with a mission earlier, but that didn't mean I was going to abandon the last cookie I had worked so hard to swipe without notice. While I chewed on the soft buttery treat, savoring every moment, my thoughts drifted to Assir and that other woman from Earth. I wonder what happened between them after I left.
I let the night envelop me in thought, dreading when I might have to go back to the ballroom and continue dancing down the line of my many 'suiters.' I thought about the stares I shared with Assir during the time I have been here, how our eyes seem to follow one another throughout the day, and how my dreams always consist of him when I've ignored my own needs for too long. I thought about the bout of jealousy that tinged through me at the sight of his hand on another woman, even though I knew it wasn't an intimate gesture. And then, I thought about my reason for being here. I wondered what it was exactly. What did I promise to the goddess of this world?
A hard thud from behind broke me from my deep thought. I turned, startled, to see what fell behind me, but a large hand covered my mouth quicker than I could scream. "Don't make any noise." He said in a gruff voice as darkness swirled my vision only for a split second. My body was weary, and my mind became disoriented. Somehow, we were no longer at the edge of the balcony. But now pressed firmly, his body engulfing mine, in the shadows of the wall nearest the double doors. I kicked and struggled to break free from his grasp, but he only held me tighter in response. I could not see his face in the dark, only a larger mass encasing me, pinning me to the cold stone wall. I had no other choice. I opened my mouth wide and bit down on his hand as hard as I could. He swore under his breath, and I had the taste of iron in my mouth as he jerked his hand from my face.
"What the f-" I tried to yell, but this time he covered my mouth with his own. His lips were intoxicatingly soft, and I dared to engage with my tongue before coming to my own senses. I thrashed and growled from behind my closed lips, but then I heard it. There were people talking just below.
"Did you see where he went?" a younger man's voice asked.
"If I did, do you think I would have stopped running after him, dumbass?" This man sounded a bit older, and out of breath.
"We can't let that information get to any of the royals, fucker." The younger one retorted.
"Do you think I don't know that?" The older one yelled, still gasping for air between words.
"Fuck! Let's check that way. This is on you if we don't find him." Judging by their footsteps, they both stalked away in a hurried manner.
It was another full second before I decided it safe to chomp down on the man's lip this time. He cursed again, louder this time, and backed up a few paces. He held one hand up in surrender, the other caressing his bloody mouth. "Tsk, what a little devil you are." He spit the built-up blood from his mouth over the railing. "Biting me isn't very nice, you know." He glared, still wiping the blood on his now dirtied sleeve. I only glared back at him. It was not until he stepped into the moonlight that I recognized the man who had just assaulted me. The silver strands of his slicked back hair gleaming and his eyes of glowing scarlet that sent chills along my every limb. He wasn't wearing the sparkling blue mask from earlier, but it was him without a doubt. I could see his entire, gorgeous, face. He was dashing behind that mask, his features positively maddening. It did something to my human heart, sending it racing, and the blood surged throughout my vascular system. I instantaneously felt feverish. I stumbled to the side, propping myself up on one arm against the stone wall.
"Shit," He spat, before rushing to catch my limp body. "Why did you have to be in the shadows?" He placed his hand against my heated forehead before groaning to himself. "What a fucking mess."
He lifted my heavy body from the floor and rested my head into his shoulder. He smelled of spices, like winter… like my Christmas tea. And again, my vision clouded by darkness for only a second. My eyes felt heavy, and my limbs felt as if they were engulfed in flame, but my muscles wouldn't respond. I could not have moved even if I wanted to. The handsome man placed me gently atop the blankets of an enormous bed. The canopy of this bed looked vaguely similar to mine at the manor through my blurry vision. He swiped a careful finger along the length of my face, tucking my hair behind my ear before whispering dangerously close to it, "If you mean to maintain a peaceful life here in Prospertinia, you will refrain from mentioning your encounter with me. I wouldn't want to taint a newcomer's reputation." He sighed into my ear before pulling away. The breath from his mouth produced a tingling sensation somewhere deep within me. "If you ever need to find me, my name is Caspian." He sounded far away, like he was not entirely here in this moment. Caspian cautiously hovered his slender body over mine, and through my blurred vision, I saw the face of an angel mixed with that of the devil. Then he bit down, puncturing through the thick skin of my shoulder and sending a whimper from my rasping throat. I felt it all as he sucked in heaps of my blood and swallowed in full gulps. The heat from my skin began to dissipate, and the blood began rushing elsewhere, somewhere very specific. I still could not control my limbs, but my insides ached so strong, my legs began to shutter and squeeze together on their own. My body was writhing, begging, to be touched… to be fucked.
Caspian lifted from my shuttering body, wiping my crimson blood from his own mouth before using his sleeve to wipe my sore shoulder. A wry smile formed along the lines of his mouth as he licked his lips finally clean. "Don't worry." He said sounding mildly annoyed, "The effects of my bite won't last forever, and I think it only fair since you've bitten me twice now." He stretched his body, reaching his arms toward the ceiling. "Be sure to stay away from forbidden fruits next time, Eve, wasn't it?" His hands clasped the frame holding the draping of the bed above me. He sneered down at me from his perfect features before adding gently, "You'll want to keep this covered." Extending one hand, he plucked something from my hair, allowing it to fall in long strands along the pillow. In his hand he held a gold floral pick, the one that was once the main adornment of my carefully styled hair. He placed the pick to his lips, giving it a tiny kiss followed by a quick caress of his tongue. My insides quivered at the sight, and if I could have spoken any words in that moment, I wouldn't have trusted myself not to beg him to drain me dry as long as he fucked me good until my last drawn breath. "I'll see you around, darling little Eve." He smirked at me before disappearing entirely within the shadows.
I do not know how long I laid in that bed. The only thing I could think about was the heat permeating between my thighs. My body regained strength at its own leisure pace. Meanwhile, I just stared up at the dark draping hanging above me, trying desperately to name its color, and pushing away any hideous thoughts aiming to flame the blazing fire inside my core. I had never been so horny in my life, never to the brink of desperation, of being almost willing to let anyone fuck me to satiate the ache inside. I had to stay in this room until my body was calm. And when my muscles finally relented in their plight to ignore my pleading mind, I had the longest session of self-love anyone has had in the history of this damn planet. I brought myself to sweet orgasm over and over… and over, letting the waves of pleasure wet the burn left behind. But it was much like giving stale bread to a starving man. While I was finally able to regain my sanity, I was still fucking starving.
___________________ ___________________
I don't know how long I was away from the party that night, but when I braved the maze of unknown halls, down many more flights of stairs than I had taken upward and to the ballroom still roaring in music and chatter, I was hyper aware. I poured the entirety of my focus into monitoring every sound, every movement I thought I might have seen in the shadows. I tried to shove the thoughts of tonight's events to the back of my mind for the time being. I would have to analyze them later. What happened to my body… I felt a cold bead of sweat form on the back of my neck. I would have to make sense of it all later.
Steadily and hastily, I pushed my still quivering legs to carry me quickly to my destination. I slipped in again from behind the thick curtains and scanned the now partially emptied ballroom for the man that has become so dear to me in these short weeks. Just as my heart started to sink, my mind cluttered by thoughts of abandonment, and my body craved flight, two hands clasped my shoulders from behind. His fingers tangled in messy hair atop my bare shoulders and the heat of his palms brought me back to reality. "Where have you been?" He sounded concerned. "I have been looking for you everywhere, my lady."
"I…" I started to say before remembering Caspian's words from earlier. 'If you mean to maintain a peaceful life here in Prospertinia, you'll refrain from mentioning your encounter with me.' It had not sounded like a threat, but rather, a warning. "I needed some air, so I found a balcony." It was a half-truth.
Assir spun me around to face him, his build towering over me. He seemed suspicious of my explanation, but he avoided questioning me any further on the matter. I followed him back to the carriage in silence. Surely, I wasn't convincing enough coming back to the ballroom with messy hair and so obviously on edge. Nevertheless, Assir did not ask questions. When we made it back to the manner, he only offered a stern bow before passing me along to Von Mae. I was escorted back to my room, and even Von Mae was silent aside from asking me if I had an enjoyable time at the ball. I only nodded to confirm. I was thankful for the quiet when the door of my bedroom latched behind me, and I decided sleep was of higher priority than anything else. I went to bed picturing the painfully beautiful face of the devil. And before sweet slumber could take me, I again pressed firm fingers inside my sex of which I had become hyperconscious of its vacancy.