She danced across the ball room, her red dress flowing out around her as she whirled from partner to partner. She flowed from masked man to masked man as seamlessly as the music that accompanied her, never once missing a beat. Her face was hidden behind a gold trimmed silver butterfly, its wings decorated with feathers that tickled her ears. She glided across the dance floor, white mask after white mask flashing before her eyes. She cared not who these men were, nor did they care who she was, tonight was all about the music, and the dancing, as it should be.
She felt him before she saw him. His presence was made known to her by the beating of her heart, suddenly wild and out of sync with the music. She stopped and the music stopped with her, as if they were connected. Her partner continued a step, letting her go as she turned to stare. Even the gold mask that covered his face could not hide him from her. The crowd seemed to part as he strode towards her, his swagger ever bit justified by his status. He offered her his hand and she took it, powerless to resist.
“Dance with me.”
His command was answered immediately with movement. Her feet followed his lead without her willing them to, gliding into the next dance as the music started up once more. She continued to stare as he moved her, hand pressed against the small of her back, fingers squeezing hers, eyes dancing along with their bodies.
“I told you,” he said. “You can’t hide forever.”
“I can try,” she replied. “I don’t want to go back.”
“You don’t have a choice.” he said, twirling her before pulling her into a dip. “I played your game, now we play mine.”
She noticed now that everyone was watching them. As he swung her back into the dance, they were alone on the floor, alone with the music.
“This was meant to be,” he told her. “We were destined for this.”
“Destiny is for mortals,” she replied. “We should be able to choose our fate.”
He laughed at her. “Fate is bigger than even us,” he told her. “You of all people should know that.”
The music slowed and their movements slowed with it. Soon they were standing in the center of the floor.
“It’s time to go,” he said. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips. “And this time, there is no running away.”
She blinked, her vision blurring. “You didn’t…” she said, her body quickly growing numb.
“I did.” he smiled as blackness closed in on her. Her mask fell from her face as she went limp in his arms. He didn’t bother to pick it up as he left with her.
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