Chapter Note-------------For the Masquerade Ball scenes----------------------
Listen to "The Nightside of Ede" by HIM. Imagine the intro to the song as the music that was being played during the dance. You can go to youtube . com and search for a video of the song.
-------------------------------Chapter Two---------------------------------
Remi gently nibbled on Ameriese's hair. Her fingers closed around a handful of sand. She opened her eyes at the feel of this oh so familiar texture. Her gaze met with Remi's nose, nudging her to get up. She had never been more happier in her life to feel the sand rub between her toes. Once she got the sand out of her eyes she was able to take in their surroundings. They had landed on a beach. Before them laid hope, she could feel it with every breath of fresh air, with ever step on the solid ground beneath her feet. Something slapped against Ameries's side. She untied the saddlebags and a rather large fish flopped into the sand next to her feet. That night they camped on the beach, underneath the stars that seemed to shine brighter than ever. With food in their bellies (fish for Ameriese, forage for Remi), and a fire warming their bodies, they slept peacefully.
Remi and Ameriese traveled many days and nights, living off the kindness of strangers. Found out that they had landed in Finland, the wreckage of the ship the Fortunado was not even heard of. "We must be the only survivers" Ameriese thought. Then they came across a string of nights where no warm meal, no soft bed, no home, no person could be found. The had become lost in a forest, densely packed with thick trees stretching all the way to the sky, who was their only companion, and a shady one at that. Remi was content, he enjoyed the way the tall, unkempt grass brushed against his long legs, and he barely had to lower his neck to munch on it. Ameriese however, was not as content, having only eaten nuts and strange berries for three days was not that enjoyable. Nighttime slowly crept in; the stars shone bright like little candles floating in a dark lake. The sky was cloudless and a full moon shone bright and large, filtering through the thick mass of branches, casting shadows of long, gnarled fingers on the ground, and illuminating what looked like a pathway. No it was not laid with stone, but the ground was smooth there, no grass, just flat ground. For some reason Ameriese's gaze would not leave that serendipitous pathway, not even when Remi came over and started nibbling on her shoulder. Her eyes were drawn; following that pathway as far as the moon illuminated it. "Into the nightside of Eden, we are born again" Ameriese jumped as she thought she heard faint voices carry through the gentle breeze as it played with the hair around her face. Her abrupt movement had caused Remi to jump several feet to the side and she had to spend a few moments calming him down. Once he was assured that nothing was wrong, Ameriese packed up their small camp, placed the saddle and bridle back on Remi, and they cautiously ventured through the makeshift path.
All the while Ameriese would jerk her head back, expecting to find the owner of the faint voices she kept hearing, causing Remi to fling his head up and glance back at her. "Devils dance while Angels smile, come little Angel, let our sin rapture you." They traveled for a while, the path never seeming to cease. Wolves could be heard off in the distance, singing a mournful tune that caused the hair on her neck to prickle, and Remi to become unsettled. After a few reassuring pets from Ameriese however, they continued down the path, not knowing what was waiting for them at the end. The farther they traveled, the less Ameriese second-guessed herself and the noises she swore she heard, inviting her to come to them. " Come now little Angel, you are almost near." She was certain she heard them. As they drew nearer, soft music could be heard, and laughter pervading through the trees. The pounding in her chest quickened, surely it was audible as it pulsated through her eardrums. She could feel the blood flowing through her body like an antidote to the fear that had gripped her heart. "Come closer, come dance with the devils little Angel." Ameriese eased Remi into a collected canter. His tongue toying with the bit in his mouth, sending small vibrations through the leather reins, to meet the tight grip of Ameriese's fingertips. The cool air slightly stinging the core of his nostrils. Remi's hooves touched the ground in a rhythm that seemed to coincide with the music, now growing louder. Ameriese squinted as she tried to peer through the trees that shadowed what lay ahead of them. Then, a clearing broke out, not a tree in sight but for the ones behind them. It was as if the trees acted like a magnificent gate, guarding this beautiful open meadow they had come across. She slowed Remi down to a nice walk as her eyes gazed upon the tangled web of stars that scattered across the dark sky. Smiling as the sweet song that was playing intoxicated her ears and seemed to filter down into her heart. She let go of the reins, tossed her head back and stretched her arms out to the heavens, desperately trying to grasp one of the stars that seemed so close in reach.
They walked about, carelessly, then Remi halted for some reason, his foreleg pawing at the ground as he gave a loud snort, his nostrils vibrating as the air was assailed out of his lungs. Then he lifted his head high, peering just out of the lower corners of his eyes at the scene that was before them. Ameriese, after deciding her attempts to catch a star were futile, slowly turned her gaze from the sky to see the creatures that danced in front of them, undisturbed by their presence. She dismounted Remi and slowly started making her way through the crowd despite Remi's protests; he did not want her venturing away from him, from his protection. Ameriese was not paying attention, she was too entranced by the bodies entwining around her, the voices continuing to beckon her to join them.
Ammon leaned against a tree, sulking in his preferred solitude. These dances, festivals that centered around the destruction of innocent life, once ignited a flame in his cold heart. Now after centuries of the same thing, his anceint heart found them disdainful, and preferred to observe the scenario from the comfort of his own solitude. It was true, when he was younger he preffered the taste of the innocent, the beautiful. As time passed him by, he grew to be disgusted by his ways, it was true what his wife had called him, he was a monster. Now he only preyed upon the wicked of heart. He acquired a taste for their sour blood, unlike the sweetness of an innocent's blood. Ammon watched as his family, birthed in blood, captivated their unsuspecting guests. Those poor mortal souls, unknowingly dancing to their death. A heart beated quickly among the crowd, unlike the slow beatings of those under the influence of their hosts. Ammon could hear his brothers and sisters taunting, bewitching a stranger that had entered their diabolical domain. Ammon easily located the stranger among them, she was the only one without a host, the only one whose mind had not yet been conquered. "No, leave her, she is mine." Ammon sent his thought out through the crowd. They listened, no one would dare go against Ammon's wishes, the most beautiful one among them. Ammon was intrigued by this strange girl. For some reason a smile had crept upon his handsome face, this was something almost unfamiliar, he could not remember the last time he had smiled.
Ameriese could no longer hear the voices that permeated her thoughts, perhaps she did imagine them afterall. This was soon forgotten though, as she watched the creatures dancing about her. These were not creatures she soon realized, but people, wearing elaborate clothes and beautiful masks. Everyone had a partner and was dancing almost provocatively to the music that seemed to play by itself. All but one man, that is. As Ameriese made her way through the crowd she remained entranced by the beautiful movements in front of her, the flashes of blues, greens, purples, whites that intertwined as the people kept dancing, their laughter carrying into the night sky. She pulled her cloak's hood down off her head, allowing her long dark hair to move freely about and her favorite crimson dress to make a splash of color through the crowd. As she made her way, watching the different faces, some of animals, some of jesters, some of creatures she had not ever seen before, someone watched her, intently, a small grin appearing across his face, only to be hidden beneath a mask. Ameriese couldn't help but feel that she was being watched, but when she turned around all she saw was dancing bodies, she could hear laughter and flirtatious sayings being cast out at one another, but could not tell where they came from as masks hid the faces and emotions of everyone around her. Then out of the corner of her eye, she caught a figure standing, the only one not dancing. She quickly turned in that direction only to find that the figure had disappeared, hidden by the couples lavishly dancing the night away. A different voice entered her thoughts "In this nightside of Eden, we are born again. Forever Crucified to a dream. If I am Adam, will you be Eve?" as she caught another glimpse of the figure before he was swallowed by the crowd again. She didn't think it was possible but her heart started beating even faster, like a hummingbird's wings fluttering about rapidly. She heard Reminic's neigh and turned around to see him pacing up at the hilltop that enclosed their dance floor meadow, trying to convince her to return. She turned back around to come face to face with the figure who had been watching her from afar. Their bodies gently collided and her hands landed upon his chest, she was inches away from a beautiful mask, a portrait of a skull, it was a mask of death to be more correct. She quickly drew her hands away, blood rushed to her cheeks and a girlish smile forced its way onto her face. He was wearing a beautiful red velvet jacket that nearly reached the ground and had a high collar, and underneath was an elaboratly decorated vest, embroided with words, etched in gold. Her gaze lowered, he was wearing simple black pants, but no shoes. His feet quietly hitting the soft grass. This man stood a few inches taller than her so she slowly lifted her gaze into the large black holes where the eyes should be, to find a pair of intense green eyes lightly rimmed in black, staring into her soft amber eyes. She took a step back as she was caught off guard by how he seemed to peer into her soul with those eyes. The dancing still continued around them, but still they stood, eyes-locked for what seemed like an eternity, before a hand slipped out in front of her as the other one slowly lifted the mask onto his hair to reveal a beautiful man of about twenty years of age. He was pale and had dark hair, which framed his face in soft waves and fell at his neck. He had a round, soft lower lip and a slightly smaller upper on that peaked into a V just an inch or so under his nose. Ameriese covered her mouth to try to contain her gasp as he took her in his cold hand and lowered his head into a bow. "He is absolutely gorgeous" Ameriese thought to herself. A wide grin crept upon his face and she thought for a second that he could read her thoughts. No one seemed to pay attention to the only two red colored souls not dancing in this joyous night.
"Greetings, I am Ammon Valo, and darling... you are?" She felt a shiver crawl down her spine as the sound of his voice gently raptured her ears.
They were still so close to one another, she could smell him. His scent was intoxicating, it was sweet, like vanilla and tobacco...and something...something else, something she had smelt before but the word would not cross her tongue.
"My name is Ameriese, Ameriese Callista." The words scrambled out of her mouth, unlike his, which seemed to gently roll off his tongue, caressing it even, with each annouciated letter. Entrancing her with every sinful word.
"So, Most Beautiful Dark... meets Hidden Light." He said as he pulled her even closer, their foreheads lightly grazing one another's as he led her into a slow dance.
Still their eyes were locked, she could not free herself from his strong gaze, she wasn't even sure she wanted to for that matter. He placed her arms up around his neck as he let his hands fall to the perfect line resting place where her waist met her hips.
"I...I've never..done it like this before." She stuttered as she tried to refrain from shaking.
"What sweetheart? Danced?" He replied coolly.
"Yes, I've never danced in this way before." She corrected.
He only smirked. Ammon wondered what her blood tasted like. Her heart still pounded in her chest; making her wonder if he could hear it. She slightly came out of the trance he intoxicated her with, still dancing, and a thought crossed her mind.
"What did you mean, when you said... Most Beautiful Dark meets Hidden Light?" She asked, searching his green eyes for the answer.
He smiled again.
"Darling that is what your name means, 'Most Beautiful Dark'...As for me, Ammon, is Egyptian for 'Hidden', and Valo is Finnish for 'Light'.Wonderful coincidence don't you think?"