So sorry, guys! I haven't updated in a week! My dad was working on my computer and he finnaly finished it on Sunday. Well, here's the story. Hope it was worth the wait...
Chapter 18
Ally brushed her hair over and over, absentminded, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her thoughts were on the masked man. Ever since she met him, she couldn't get her mind off of him. Something about him, his dark qualities. He was mysterious and sensual. He was sometimes aloof when he was with her as if he was putting distance between them.
Then, he could be compassionte and gentle to her as if he was the gardener and she was the fragile rose. Other times, she could feel the danger and ravenous hunger radiating through him and she always approached him with caution.
It was strange but she felt like if she had known him for a long time and he didn't feel like a stranger to her.
She sighed as she came back to reality. Her thoughts floated away, dissolving into thin air. She realized with mild amusement that she didn't even know his name. She glanced at the mirror, startled when she saw the man watching her from the mirror. "My apologies, I tend to scare people sometimes," he said wryly.
Ally smiled, relieved. His voice was sweet music to her ears and always brought comfort. She felt silly but she had a gut feeling that she was in danger and will soon suffer the wrath of a evil spirit.
She pushed the ridiculous thoughts aside and focosed her attention to the man. "Are you hungry? You had slept all throughout the day," he asked. Ally shook her head. "Well, it's early evening and I was wondering if you'd like a singing lesson if you're up to it," he said nervously. Ally arched an eyebrow.
"I can sing?" she said doubtfully. "Why don't we find out?" he said slyly with a mischievious gleam sparkling in his eye. He offered his hand. Ally laughed freely, putting the brush down and taking his hand.
He led her to the organ and took a seat, warming it up. Ally sat beside him silently. "First of all, let's go through some warm ups," he ordered, "I want you to sing this for me. Do Re Me Fa So La Ti Do. Shall we?"
The man played smoothly, his fingers curved and took her up the scales up and back down a few times. " Excellent, my dear. Your voice is in working order," he said sincerely. Ally looked away, blush creeping up her cheeks.
" Sing this for me, please." he said, handing her some sheet music. She took it slowly and skimmed through it. "I'll try," she said uncertainly, " I really don't know anything about this."
The man smiled. " Just let your heart flow and your voice within connect with the music and sing out. You'll do fine." he reassured her. The man started playing the intro. A sad, sweet melody flowed slowly through the room and engulfed her with its song. She took a deep breath and sang.
Far away in a far off land
Lives a child who loves to sing..
She opens up her fragile heart
And her song, it takes wing...
She sings," La, la ,la, la, la, la, la, la, la,"
On the grass, on the cool ,green grass
That was hers since she could run
She lies with hair open like a fan
In the warmth of summer sun...
She sings," La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
She cries for light when the day is done..
She fears what night may bring
She cries for those who have never loved
And for those who never sing...
Ally stopped, the last high note still echoing around her in a eerie manner. She realized the organ had stopped playing. She turned her head and saw the man staring at her intently. "You're a natrual, my dear. Brava!" he said huskily.
He ran a finger through her silky brown hair and caressed her cheek gently with the back of his hand. Then, he brought his lips to hers, kissing her slowly and sweetly. Ally's heart fluttered at his tenderness and relented, closing her eyes and getting lost in the feeling of his warm lips on hers.
His lips were like raspberries, as light as a whisper at first and then grew more passionantly as he deepened the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers entwined in his jet-black hair. She was surprised by her forwardness but pushed the thoughts aside.
She only wanted to be in the man's arms, feeling safe and secure, as she kissed him back willingly, long and hard. She let out a moan of delight at his fiery caresses exploring her arms and collarbone and finnaly drifting around the nape of her neck. His other hand stroked her back slowly sending shivers down her spine.
Waves of pleasure swept over her as she rubbed his cheek gently. Her crafty fingers eventually stumbled upon his mask. Her eyes glittering with curoisity, her hands removed the mask. As soon as she did, she instantly regretted it.
The man opened his eyes and parted his lips from hers, breathless but didn't hide the horror and betrayal in his eyes. He pushed her roughly to the ground. Ally cried out painfully when her body made contact with the cold, hard floor.
She looked up and gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. The man's entire left side of his face was horribly deformed. His red eye was sunken below the thin flaky mass of skin. Skin was stretched tightlyacross in a failing attempt to heal itself and ended up showing purple veins pulsating quickly.
The hair was mostly gone with a few scant patches here and there. HIs nose was sunken as well and from a certain angle, it looked like he had a black hole where the nose should have been. His entire face was contorted into a scowl as he glared at her, his eyes blazing with fury.
She knew she should be afraid, fearing the awful sight but weirdly, she didn't. Tears brimmed her eyes, threatening to overflow, at the thought of how he much have suffered his whole life as an outcast because of a distortion. The man had softened a bit, specks of woe and despair in his eyes, at seeing her in her current sight.
He brought a hand to shield his face. " Please, don't waste your time pitying me. I'm a revolting creature from hell. I don't deserve it. Please, just go back to your room..." he choked out in anguish. Ally opened her mouth to protest but the man silenced her.
She went back to her room reluctantly, leaving the man to drown in his misery. She closed the door and sat down in front of the mirror, sobs wracking her body. She buried her head in her hands. Why did she have to satisfy this damn curiosity of hers? She shouldn't have removed it.
There was something between them. She could feel it in her bones, the electricity still throbbing in her body. It could have blossomed into something more but I just ruined it, she thought sadly.
Her tears subsided and she glimpsed at her ragged image in the mirror wistfully but her eyes soon filled with pure terror at what she saw but before she could react, a hand shot out and covered her mouth harshly. She felt a cold, metal blade placed underneath her chin on her neck.
" Don't make a sound," a menacing voice whispered in her ear.
