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Chapter 6 – The Masquerade Ball

Nicole smiled as she curled her hair and put on pale blue lipstick. Then she pulled out a beautifully embroidered mask. It had silver and blue beads with white feathers. She had made it herself and was quite proud of it. She put the mask to her face and tied the laces. Nicole looked at herself in the full length mirror. Her dress mirrored her mask, she couldn't make the dress so she had to have it customized under a false name in an out of town seamstress shop. It had no straps and came with gloves and flowed around her. She was ready to go to the ball…

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Erik didn't know why he was partnered with Nicolas. Handling the media was easy! Reporters asked him questions, and he answered with his usual air of elegance. Everything was going fine, or it was, until the photographers showed up, then he became nervous. Words and statements he could make, pictures was just asking too much. But eventually they left to photograph the decorations and the building itself.

The music began and then the dance floor was filled with the sight of swirling figures. Erik decided to sit at a table instead of dancing. Sitting there, listening to the music, forced him to think about the last time he had come here. In yet, another attempt to win Christine's heart, he had dressed as the Red Death. Now think, he had modestly doned a black suit and gloves. Even though he wasn't extravagantly dressed he couldn't help but catch the interested glances some women were paying him. He tried hard to suppress a smile. But more thoughts of Christine invaded his mind and he sat there for nearly an hour brooding before a quiet voice whispered in his ear,

"You're starting to scare people."

He looked up sharply to find a very attractive woman, wearing a silver and blue beaded mask, looking at him with very familiar eyes…

"I'm sorry, but have we met before?"

The moan smiled. "No, I'm afraid not." She sat down without offering a name and began to ask him what he thought of the Ball. These questions started off other conversations about family, ridiculous fashion trends, and woman's rights. She seemed to become more interested in him when he told her that he felt women were just as competent as men. Through it all Erik wondered what this peculiar, yet fascinating, woman's name was.

"What is your name?"

She smiled again, coyly. "This is a masquerade Ball. Is it not?"

Erik got the hint and pressed no more for her name.

"Too bad Nicolas couldn't make it." The mysterious woman said casually.

"Do you know Nicolas?" Erik asked, sudden jealously welling up inside him. Do they have a relationship?

Before she could answer, the large grand clock struck midnight. At midnight it was customary for the guests to remove their masks. Erik waited with anticipation to fully see her face. But she rose from the table and Erik watched, helplessly, as she whispered a hurried goodbye and sped off through the crowd, disappearing behind double doors.

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Short, I know, but it was a good place to end.

Next chapter: Erik wants to find the mysertious woman and ruffle Nicolas' feathers.

Tributes: To everyone who wrote a review, thanks. I feel appreciated.