When I awoke, I found myself on a bed of red velvet. If it weren't for the dizziness that still possessed my thoughts I would have been deeply concerned by this mysterious place. My body trembled out of both panic and cold as a wet cloth was laid over my forehead. I looked up instantly to see the masked man leaning over me. His eyes were soft and yet completely feral and aloof as he watched me watching him. We both seemed almost fearful of each other which was strange to me. The thought that this man who had rescued me from a terrible situation with such courage, now showed signs of terror while looking down upon me, a mere woman, was completely idiotic.

I made to get up but he quickly placed a firm hand on my shoulder. I nodded slightly hoping for him to speak to me, but he simply turned and left the room. I relaxed a bit into the pillows. His presence made me tense with worry. It seemed that I could trust him, but I wouldn't let myself be certain of that until he showed some sign of proof. Trust was something that I was uncertain of after my parent's death. I closed my eyes at the thought of them. How could I have known that my husband was dishonest in his intentions with me…? …they were suspicious of him…my parents told me not to marry him…yet I HAD to have my love. The same love that made to kill me too…Treachery! All my fault…me and my stupid blind love! I began to sob into the pillows out of self hatred and pity.

At the sound of my crying, the man came back into the bedroom. I couldn't meet his eyes. I was too pathetic and extremely embarrassed about it. I heard his soft, catlike footsteps coming nearer to me. He gently removed the wet cloth and brushed the loose strands of hair off my face. I gathered up the courage to look at him. He smiled at me gently and I quickly turned my head away as the tears began to fall once more. I felt like a child and I could only imagine how weak I appeared to his eyes. He made a soft sound which I thought was going to be a remark about my crying, but his words came out in the form of a song.

He sang to me softly a song of an angel of music. I couldn't help but compare him to the angel of which is song portrayed. Each note that emerged from his lips was deep, full and pleasant. I couldn't help but allow my own voice to join his, humming the notes to match the gorgeous melody. I was mesmerized and entranced completely. I snapped out of my stupor when his voice died out. My eyes that had closed without my knowledge snapped open. He was staring back at me in horror once again. I feared that I had done something wrong but he jumped to his feet and fled out of the room before I could ask what had gone wrong. I thought of following him but then thought better of it. I was still slightly disoriented and he had left in a manner that almost forbid me to follow.

This man behaved so oddly. He was immensely strong and intelligent, that much I could tell. But yet he showed fear at the rarest of things. Then there was also the mask. I couldn't help but wonder why he wore it and what he looked like beneath it. The left side of his face was handsome beyond comparison, and he had a strong, muscular frame. It was impossible not to notice his genuine splendor. I had always been terrible at guessing someone's age, so I did not bother contemplating that. I realized that I was letting this man consume my thoughts and I cursed myself for that as well. Yes he had saved me, but I had to be wary…not of him…but of my heart. For as he re-entered the room after obviously composing himself and his thoughts, my heart raced with emotions that I had forsaken to that dark chamber in my head reserved for self-punishment. I felt love for this man who I had met only hours earlier.

My soul screamed to me. Craziness! Insanity! You CANNOT DO THIS…YOU Must not do… My pulse surged as my heart danced to it's own beat. He approached gracefully. My heart swooned out of love. A kind of love that I knew would bring about a whole new set of problems. But I didn't care…couldn't care. For he had already ensnared me. That angelic face and that pearly mask had been burned into my heart by the fire of love.