Chapter 6.

Sarah laid asleep, dreaming frightening dreams. At her window an owl sat watching. The window was open slightly and it was easy to make it rise with magic. The Goblin King entered the room and deepened the girls sleep. He stood over the bed looking down at her, amused by the feeble attempts to change. As if cutting her hair and changing her clothes could make a difference.

Jareth knelt at the bed and stroked the girl's hair. "Nice try, precious." He crooned to the troubled sleeper. His touch and words disturbed her even more and she fought to awaken but could not due to the spell. "You are no match for me." He reminded her. "I've more power than you ever dreamed of."

"No…power…over.." she began to speak but her voice trailed off.

"You think not?" He challenged. "Oh little one, I shall hear you say that in reverse very soon…." He kissed her brow. "Sleep well, precious thing." He moved to the window. "Oh sweet Sarah. How I will enjoy this." He vanished into mist and glitter and out the window the swirl went.

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Sarah came down stairs the next morning not feeling rested at all. She looked at the juice on the table and found the thought nauseated her. She pushed the offending glass aside. Her father was grumbling behind his paper and he looked at her.

"What's the matter with your juice?" He asked.

"I don't want any today." Sarah told him.

Karen looked at the headlines of the local paper that Robert was holding up. "Oh dear, is there going to be more trouble out at the Wilde place?"

Robert nodded. "The new owner is just as bad as old man Wilde was, maybe worse!"

Sarah looked at the headline. "What has he done?"

"He's invited decadent and disreputable persons into the community." Her father snapped. "All in the name of Art and personal freedom."

Sarah looked at her father, "I thought you supported the arts and freedom of speech.."

"There's rumors of unsavory events taking place out there." Her father said.

"I heard that there's a art school on the grounds." Sarah said off handedly.

"Art school?" He looked at his daughter with disdain. "Sarah, there's art and then there's art."

"Morning all." Sophie came into the room with a cheerful smile. "Sarah, you got plans for Halloween?" She sat down at the table waiting for Sarah to finish her breakfast.

"Not that I know of, why?" She passed toast to her friend.

Sophie took a bite, "I got an invitation to a costume party, thought you'd go as my date." When Robert shot her a look the girl giggled. "Not to worry Mr. Williams, I just thought it be more fun to go with my best pal."

Robert shook his head at Sophie, "You, young lady, have a twisted sense of humor."

Sophie agreed. "So what say you Miss Sarah? Want to go to a great party? And then you can stay at my house for the weekend and we can do the girly thing."

Karen smiled, "Go ahead dear, have some fun. You never get out. This could be a chance to meet some nice young men."

Robert shrugged. "It's fine with me."

Sarah looked at her parents, "Well since its fine with everyone else, I guess it's fine with me too." She picked up her books. "Now I just have to get a costume."

"You've got a ton of costumes up in the attic!" He father snapped. "Use one of them!"

"Miser." Sarah said as she kissed him good bye. She kissed Karen who was on her way upstairs to see Toby. As they settled in Sophie's car Sarah asked at last, "Where is this party?"

"Paradisia," Sophie said in a low voice. "Furthermore a special invitation has been issued to you from the Master himself."

Sarah blanched. "He asked for me by name?"

"Yep," Sophie drove toward the school. "He said you made quiet an impression on him at your last visit."

"Some impression." Sarah looked out the window. "I got drugged and accosted." Sarah's mind conjured up the last image of the handsome man behind the mask. He was tall and lean, and blonde as a sun-god. His voice dripped culture and just being in his presence caused her to thrill. "OH I'm sure he was impressed by me."

"Honest." Sophie said. "He told me himself he wanted you to attend the bash he's giving." Sophie smiled as if nothing were wrong. "How many costumes you got in the attic?"

"Why?" She looked at the blonde.

"Well I raided my mother's closet for the last outfits we wore…turn about is fair." Sophie giggled. "So what you got locked up in the attic?"

Sarah sighed, "Why don't you come over tonight after school and we'll rummage." Sarah suggested.

"Great." Sophie said. "I'm glad you'll be going with me. Oh and let's not mention to your folks that mom is going to be away all weekend."

Sarah looked at the girl. "Maybe I shouldn't stay…"

"No." Sophie said quickly. "I want you to stay."

Sarah felt a tremor, and had the impression that Sophie was not telling her everything.

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Sophie held up the spangled dress from a play on the roaring twenties. "Now this is hot." She said.

"Looks great with your coloring." Sarah said. "Put that aside as a maybe. There's a long flowing thing in here that would look really sharp on you." She pulled the sky blue gauzy gown out of the steamer trunk her great grandmother had used in her youth. "Mom gave me the trunk so the gowns and things would stay in good condition. She hated the idea of boxes." She handed the blue dress to the blonde. "Look in the mirror."

The full length mirror stood against the chimney stack. Sophie held the dress against herself and whistled. "What was this from?"

"Antigone, Mother did the play in summer stock." Sarah looked briefly at her friend and went back in the trunk. "That was an extra, it was the wrong color, and never got worn. Looks good on you."

"It's very sexy." Sophie said happily. "Pablo will be drooling."

Sarah ignored the mention of the artist, "I think I've even got a pair of sandals in here."

Taking a seat on another trunk Sophie cleared her throat. "Hey, how bout something really fetching for you"

"What do you have in mind? Ghost of the past? Maiden spirit? Egyptian slave? Lady in the tower? I've got things that can cover them all."

"Egyptian salve?" Sophie mused, and then shook her head, "What about another Greek thing like this?" She patted her gown.

"Well I do have mother's costume from that production." Sarah turned to the trunk and pulled out a white gauzy gown. "It might fit, the last time I tried it on I was not quiet thirteen." Sarah held it up to herself. "What do you think?"

"It looks made for you." Sophie said softly. "What goes with it?"

Sarah opened a draw and pulled out the accessories to both her gown and Sophie's. "Well?"

"I say it's a go. Just pack it all up and I'll take it home with me. Then you come to my house right after school on Friday and we'll get ready at my place, where there will be no prying eyes." Sophie teased.

"Sophie, I don't know about this." Sarah suddenly fretted. "Daddy was reading some stuff about the Wilde place just this morning in the paper and …I think we should rethink this whole idea."

Sophie laughed lustily. "Sarah what are you afraid of? It's a party."

Sarah frowned, "You think I'm being silly."

Sophie leaned closer. "You can't stay a little girl forever."

"Forever." Sarah repeated. "That's not very long at all."

Sophie laughed. "Oh come on, you'll have a great time."

Sarah sighed, "Okay." She began to pack the gowns and other times in a traveling bad for Sophie to take home. "Okay."

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Jareth looked at the preparations being made for the costumed party. He approved the menu and the music. He watched as the lower level was decorated and the room dancing was held in had lighting changes made. All the rooms on the lower level had been given particularly careful attention.

Pablo moved to his Master's side. "Do you intend to introduce her to the rooms down here?"

"No, but I'm sure some of our other guest will want to make use of them. We have asked only the crème de la crème for the event. It will cause less notice in the community, and less head ache for me later. However the guest will be expecting to play with the toys." Jareth looked at one of the cells on this level and smiled thinking of the pleasures that would be had. "You I'm sure will want to use your own chamber to entertain young Miss Sophie."

"I prefer not to share her," admitted the artist. "Sophie pleases me as no other slave or lover ever has. I may just have to marry the little wench, with your permission of course, Master."

"You would marry the girl? Knowing what you know of her?" Jareth raised a brow. "Has she any idea of your true nature?"

"No, my King." Pablo sighed. "But I don't think that would disturb her."

Jareth mused. "She must be nearly as twisted as you yourself."

"Nearly," the artist mused he looked about the cell and raised a shackled cuff. "And your little Sarah, do you plan on sharing her?"

"No." Jareth said firmly. "Sarah Williams will be my private stock, that has always been my desire."

"You can say that without having tasted her?" the man dropped the shackle. "Really?"

Jareth got a long ago lost look in his eyes. "I have tasted her. I've tasted her dreams, her thoughts her hopes, and her fears. In all my years I've never tasted one who has left me wanting more, until Sarah."

"Yet it was she who rejected you." The artist pointed out. "Did you not offer her, her dreams?"

"Yes, and she will pay for such insolence." Jareth exited the cell followed by the artist.

"There has been speculations as to the form your punishment would take, including a rejection of her." Pablo kept pace with his master.

"Speculations are just that, Pablo. Speculations." Jareth said noncommittally.

"Master," The Artist smiled. "Are you saying there will be no public humiliation of the girl?"

"Her humbling with be at my whim, not anyone else's." Jareth said firmly. "Plans change at a moments notice." He glanced at the servants darting about preparing, and then he felt a shift and drew a crystal from the air. In the orb he could see the fretting and pacing Sophie. "You'd best see you your own slave. If she does not obey, she can be replaced."

"Master." Pablo protested. "She will obey."

"You'd best call her and make sure she does, I will not have one spoiled little teen aged girl foil me, not again." Jareth handed the orb to the artist before walking away.

Pablo walked to the house phone and dialed the number that would ring the phone in Sophie's room. He heard her soft voice answer, and he barked at her. "I wouldn't be thinking of betraying the King if I were you."

"I wasn't." She lied.

"He's seen you." Pablo warned. "Sophie, I'm very fond of you, but if you go against him I will have no power to save you." He softened his tone. "Just deliver the gift."

"Gift." She repeated feeling miserable. "Pablo…"

"Sophie," He said firmly. "You will deliver the gift to the Master."

"Yes." She said darkly.

"That's my girl." Pablo crooned. "My sweet little girl."

"Yes, Pablo." She replaced the receiver and knew somehow she was being watched. She didn't want to know how. She sat on her bed looking at the costumes and thought to herself she was a female Judas.

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Gauzy linen was lifted into the air, and descended like butterfly wings down the arms of the dark haired girl. She adjusted the gown and tied the cord that held the gown to her waist. She looked in the mirror in Sophie's room and frowned. "This does not look right." She said trying to adjust the dress.

"Take off the bra!" Sophie growled.

"Go braless?" Sarah blanched. "I don't think I can."

Sophie, who was clearly braless under her gown, was becoming impatient. "Look Sarah," she sighed. "In a few years thanks to Mother Nature and Gravity, you won't be able to. Right now you've got nice perky breasts, go braless! You might even like it."

Sarah unfastened the clasp behind her back and pulled the strapless bra out of the dress. "But it's so…obvious!" She pointed to front of her gown in the mirror. There clearly was a soft darkened circle and a soft peak of nipple now on the gown.

"It looks fine." Sophie said. "In fact it looks damned sexy."

"Oh that's just what I want to hear from you." Sarah moaned. She looked back in the mirror and pulled her hair up to clasp allowing it to cascade in ringlets down her head. "I look like a virgin sacrifice." She scoffed, missing the wince of her best friend.

"You look beautiful." Sophie said when she recovered herself. 'Like a Greek Goddess."

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The guests had arrived, and were assembled in the catacomb rooms beneath the house. They looked ravenous as they ran greedy hands over each other. Pablo stood beside the master looking upon the gathering swarm of hot sweaty bodies. He looked at the Master. "You think they will be able to contain themselves until our gift arrives?"

"They will if they know what's good for them." Jareth said in a terse tone. "Go to the entry and see our guest of honor down when she arrives."

Pablo was dressed as Don Giovanni from the Opera of the same name, in garments a little too authentic. He paused to admire himself in the mirror; time had not diminished his handsome good looks or his charismatic appeal. He still wore the handsome garments as well as ever he had. He smiled as he went to do the Master's bidding, bring the gift to him. He was looking forward to the pleasure of Sophie's comforting body when they had delivered the offering. He reached the door just as Hoggens was opening it for the girls to enter.

"Sophie," Pablo extended his hand to her and bowed over her fingers. "My temptress." He growled. Sarah blushed at his overt flirtatious nature. Sophie reacted as she always did when the man was close. The Artist looked at Sarah and graced her with a cordial smile. "Good evening, Sarah."

Sarah looked at him. "Pablo."

"You ladies look delightful." He said extending an arm to each of them. Escorting the pair to the elevator he felt a twinge of excitement.

"No masks?" Sarah asked.

"They are in the catacombs." Pablo said lightly. "The master refers to the rooms below as such."

"Ah." Sarah looked away from the eyes that kept scrutinizing her.

When the doors of the elevator opened, they could hear music playing down the hall. Not the rocking hard music from the former party, but music that enticed and delighted the senses. Pablo moved to a table and handed a white mask Sarah and a blue one to Sophie while donning a gray mask of his own.

Sarah looked at Sophie with slightly parted lips in protest. But she knew it would do no good. Sophie was under the man's…spell.

Pablo escorted the girls the rest of the way down the hall and a pair of uniformed men opened the door for them.

Sarah had been prepared for a crowd similar to the crowd who'd been here her first visit. She was not prepared for what met her eyes this time. There was only ten other couples in the room, the women wore costumes that matched their mates, and everyone had a blue mask on. It was clean these people were defined couples, no singles or odd men out. Moreover it was evident that Sarah's was the only white mask in the room. She felt eyes roam over her and it felt sickeningly familiar.

The Master was conversing with a couple as others danced quietly to the enticing music. He looked over as Sarah and Sophie were escorted to him. He dismissed the couple and turned his attentions to Sarah. "You've arrived." He said extending a hand to her, his manners was amplified by the Edwardian garments he wore with grace and elegance.

Sarah hesitated, as she placed her hand in his. "Thank you for the invitation, sir." She refused to address him as Master.

He felt the corner of his lip twitch. "Thank you for accepting. I'd worried that your last experience here would have soured your opinion of me." He looked at Sophie, "Sophie, thank you for delivering Miss Williams to me. You are now free to enjoy your evening with Pablo."

Sophie bowed to the man. "Thank you, Master." Pablo took Sophie by the hand, leading her to the dance floor where he moved against her with interment motions. Sarah looked away swiftly, embarrassed by the sight.

"Dance with me." It was not a request, it was clearly a demand.

Sarah looked up ready to reject the request but was compelled to follow him and sway with him to the enticing music. He held her hands and looked down into her face with an intense intent and a soft smile at the corner of lips that were silent. Other dancers began to move about them, almost in a circle and Sarah suddenly became very uncomfortable. She withdrew her hands and stopped dancing. She looked like a panicked deer in a headlight's glare.

"Is something amiss?" He asked cordially.

"Déjà vu." Sarah said pulled back.

"Ah, so I am not the first man in whose arms you've dance." He said lightly. The word pity went unsaid, yet it hung in the air. "I had thought as much. You are far too lovely to have gone unnoticed."

Sarah shook her head, "There's something awful familiar here."

Slowly he placed his hand under hers and began to dance with her again. "You asked me a question at our last encounter, one I told you I'd answer at a later date when you were less… inebriated."

Sarah took a deep breathe, "I'm sure I asked more than one question in our last conversation."

"It was in regards to whether or not I found you…sexy." He said looking at her with hungry eyes; he pressed his knee into hers. His right hand moved lower to the small of her back. "I've an answer for you now, if you care to hear it."

Sarah swallowed, and looked around at the other dancers who were no longer surrounding them. "I seem to remember asking you if you thought I was dressed like a whore." She commented without letting her eyes meet his. "And I'd really rather not know if you do."

"Little green eyes," he coaxed, "I told you that dressing sexy does not mean one is a whore." He began to make slow lazy circles in the small of her back. "I find your current attire particularly alluring."

Half tempted to look down, Sarah bit her lip. "Oh, thank you."

"No," He pushed his knee even further into hers. "Thank you." The lazy circles became a soft stroking motion.

Sarah looked up at him, "Are you trying to make me nervous?" she challenged.

His eyes devoured her curves as he looked down at her. "Excited, and eager…but not nervous." He teased lightly. "Let us be honest, I can see that my nearness excites you." He looked down at her erect nipples pressing against the gauzy fabric of the bodice of her gown. "I should enjoy exploring that excitement with you."

"I'll just bet you would." She said with a touch more sarcasm then she'd intended.

Instead of being put off, he was even more pleased. "You are a very strong willed young woman." He said with satisfaction and amusement. "A challenge, in fact. I enjoy a good contest of willpower and self-control. You will of course lose, after all."

"Are you saying I'm no match for you?" Her green eyes were like molten lava. "That's a rather pompous thing to say."

"On the contrary," He corrected. "I think you are the perfect match to me, little green eyes. I think we would be a force of nature." Sarah looked away, his hand moved lower down her back and she gasped as she looked up at him again. "Don't dismiss me so abruptly. I'm not a man who deals well with rejection."

"Are you threatening me?" Sarah asked.

"No," He pulled her closer. "Giving fair warning, you do know the difference, don't you?" His hand moved hers up to his shoulder, with both her hands on his shoulders he moved his now free hand down her side in a clearly sexual attempt to provoke action. The song ended and he watched as she turned and walked away. Eyes followed him as he pursued her. He caught her hand as she left the dance floor and spun her to face him. "I don't mind a little chase, green eyes. A cat and mouse game can be exhilarating." He teased.

Sarah looked around, the music had started up again, and everyone else in the room was dancing. "Shouldn't a host dance with all his guests?"

"Not at this kind of affair, unless one is looking to swap partners." He said like a double edged sword. "I've no intention or desire to swap you; green eyes for you bewitch me."

The room was a swirl with bodies, some dancing very closely. Others were dancing erotically and enticingly apart. Sarah felt the feeling she'd felt in the ballroom in the Goblin King come over her again. "I don't belong here." She said aloud.

"Of course you belong here." The dark voice said. "You belong here on my arm, at my side."He moved closer to whisper in her ear. "You belong in my bed." Sarah turned her face to protest, his lips slid softly over hers, then were gone. So quickly, she was not sure it had even happened, except for the burning sensation on her lips. He placed her hand in his elbow. "Sophie has said you are fascinated by my house; allow me to give you a tour."

'Run, Sarah!' she heard a voice in her mind cry out. The same voice had warned her of danger in the Goblin City. She listened then, but was incapable of doing so now as she softly followed the man leading her toward the elevator.

"I'm told you know some of the history of my wonderful house." He said as they began going room to room on the main floor. "That you were here as a child for a movie that was filmed here."

"The stables and the gardens, yes… I'm familiar with them personally." She answered feeling overwhelmed by the magnetism and the charisma of the house and the man. "I know some of the rumors and stories of the house. I'm sure most are fabrications."

"Some don't do justice to the festivity and revelry that took place here." The masked man boasted.

"You mean they really had …orgies here?" Sarah paused and looked at him as they walked though a dimly lit corridor.

The man placed his hands lightly on her forearms. "Had? Green eyes, the orgies go on still. Can you not feel the energy and the exhilaration of the sexual pleasure?"

"Yes." She felt her heart pound as she looked into the dark mask, wishing she could see the eyes behind his mask. So she could read if he was teasing her.

"It is said he brought painted women, as well as innocent lambs into this house of sinful pleasures." He took her hand and motioned for her to follow him up the staircase at the end of the corridor. "He kept dozens of mistresses, for his own use and that of others."

She pulled her hand free, "I don't think I would have liked that."

Her hand was captured again, "I have no doubt if Wilde had known you, you would have been kept for his pleasure alone."

"Where are we going?" She asked as he moved her along again.

"It's just a bit farther." He promised. "There is something here on this floor I think you should see." He opened a door. "In here."

Sarah walked in past him as he held the door for her. The room was a bedchamber and she turned to leave as soon as she'd walked in. "I've seen bedrooms before, thank you."

"On the wall," he pointed. "The painting."

Sarah turned, over the bed in a frame that was carved with creatures of fairytale origins that must have cost a small fortune, her portrait hung with reverence. Her breath caught in her throat and rendered her astonished, wordless and thunderstruck.

Jareth behind the mask smiled. 'Welcome to my den said the spider to the fly.'