The Masquerade Read online

  I instantly recognized the song as one of my favorites and I began to sing along with others in the crowd. This time I didn't hold back; I sang my heart out with a grin, watching Ben pounce around the stage, throwing his head back and forth every other beat. He was monstrous in his own movements but that made the audience love him even more.

  Jesse backed up the vocals while I belted them along with him. I extended my notes higher and added a little more resonance for exaggeration. I was voted most dramatic in choir. While I sang along, I shook my head back and forth, reciting the words among the screams in the crowd. A finger poked me in the side. I turned to Shiloh's wide eyes focused on mine. She motioned to the stage. I followed her gaze and noticed the guitar players had moved to the center of the stage to relish in the attention that the screams of the crowd brought.

  Then my eyes found his. Ben's impenetrable gaze locked with mine while he sang. My open mouth closed slowly, cutting off the note I was prepared to hit. He tilted his head to the side as his eyes never left mine. There was a strange spark of curiosity in his expression with an urgent force that led time to stand still

  I couldn't move. I couldn't look away, even if I wanted to. I heard one of the girls behind me, grunt and spit a nasty remark to someone beside her. The vulgarity was meant for me. I had definitely consumed Ben's attention and people around me were beginning to notice.

  Jesse came back over and screamed into his microphone. Ben looked away and leaned his back against Jesse's. Together, they pushed, providing support for the other. While Jesse rocked the bass, his hand moving quickly over the neck, Ben screamed into the microphone, his eyes closing to the roar that left his mouth. Goosebumps shot down my arms, listening to the two of them.

  They pulled away after the chorus ended and both exchanged unmistakable glances. A million secrets spilled between them. Jesse shook his head, before he moved back to his microphone to follow up another scream. Ben's eyes narrowed slightly at Jesse before he pushed his microphone closer to his mouth and screamed the words to the song. His scream pierced through the melody, unlike anything I had ever heard before. Jesse's and Cam's backing screams were good, but Ben's were on a different level, deeper, darker...chilling to the core.

  After the bass player's silent exchange with Ben, our eyes never met again. I pretended not to notice or care, but a knot in the back of my throat tightened. I wanted him to look over at me again but there was nothing. The band seemed focused on the other side of the stage.

  When the second to last song began, my phone vibrated in the back of my pants. I pulled it out, gripping it tightly, so that I wouldn't drop it. My eyes widened when I read the caller ID. Eli's number appeared twice. I held my breath, the butterflies returned to the pit of my stomach. He hadn't called me since the day before we broke up, why now? I had to call him back, immediately. I didn't care that I would miss the last song of The Masquerade. It was Eli. I couldn't imagine a reason for him calling me other than the obvious. The reason that the hopeless romantic inside of me desperately hoped he was calling. The urgency to call him back was unbearable as though if I didn't call this very second I would loose my chances with him forever. It was ridiculous, but I was in love.

  With the phone pressed against my side, I tapped Hayley on the shoulder and shouted above the music. "I have to go outside for a minute!" Shiloh turned to me, the confusion settling in her expression

  "What?" Hayley frowned.

  "I said, I need to go outside! My mom called me like six times. I have to call back and make sure everything's okay." I hated lying to them, but they would never let me leave if they knew who I really needed to call.

  "Seriously? Can't it wait? There's only one more song!"

  I shook my head. "It's my mom. She wouldn't keep calling unless something was wrong." I could see the pained look on their faces while they debated going with me to be a good friend and miss the encore. That was the last thing I wanted. "Stay here, don't miss the last song. I want details!"

  "Are you sure?" Shiloh asked, still unconvinced.

  I nodded. "I'll be right outside." I motioned behind us to the stairs that led down to the entrance. Before they could say anything else, I turned and faced the masses of people shoving themselves forward. My grip tight on my phone, I raised my arm up and pushed my way through the sweaty bodies. I was shoved back a few times, but people tried to make room while I squeezed my way through.

  Once free of the crowd, I quickly made my way down the concrete staircase. The music echoed in the stone hallway. I looked over my shoulder one last time to see my favorite band live for the last time. They played as if they were performing in front of Gods, putting every ounce of energy they had into their songs, to put on the best show they possibly could.

  From the distance, I watched as Ben looked up from the microphone, his eyes flashed to a certain section of the crowd, where my friends were, where I once stood. I could vaguely see a frown crease in his features while his eyes wandered around the area where my friends stood. His eyes slyly moved over the rest of the crowd. I felt my stomach squeeze as I secretly wished he were searching for me.

  I bit my lip and turned away. I felt like a silly schoolgirl. Whatever moment I shared with the rock star was a fantasy, a dream, something to make me smile as I slept. Eli was reality. My heart was still for him, despite everything that happened between us. I still wanted him. His missed calls sparked the hope within me, that he still wanted me too.

  The humidity from the bar dissipated when I stepped into the misty darkness outside. The cold air shot a chill up my spine while I stood by the abandoned ticket booth with my phone in hand. Reacting to the damp cold, my arms pressed to my sides. I stared down at my phone screen, my teeth digging into my bottom lip. Before I could decide against it, I exhaled, pressed call, and pushed the phone to my ear.

  My hand shook in anticipation as I waited eagerly to hear Eli's voice on the other line. I'd been waiting for this moment since the day our relationship ended. The same day the hole in my chest widened as I watched him walk away from me. I held my breath, knowing within minutes the hole in my chest would close, as Eli would come back into my life.

  The phone rang once.

  Eli's face was pushed underneath my thoughts as an eerie feeling crept over me. I looked around the venue parking lot, void of any living being. The building pulsated with music, the walls taking on life expiring the sounds. I shivered and tapped my foot against the concrete, impatiently waiting for Eli to pick up.

  The phone rang twice.

  Street lamps cast daunting shadows between the parked cars on the empty street. I stepped onto the broken curb between two cars. Nervously, I looked both ways. The trepidation crawled inside of me, sending rows of goose bumps across my arms.

  The phone rang a third time.

  Behind me, I heard shuffling. A hand clamped over my mouth. Someone behind me pressed my body into his. A muted scream came from my mouth. He jerked me away from the road effortlessly. Chapped lips were at my ear, warm, damp breath brushed against my neck. I gasped for a frantic breath of the night air.

  "Hi, Ella Baby"

  Eight

  I screamed again, but my scream was cut short. Heavy laughter thundered into my ears and echoed through my skull. One hard, bandaged hand gripped the curve of my waist, while the other remained over my mouth. I shoved against his grasp, but his arms caged me against him. My feet barely touched the sidewalk as he forced me away from the building. Frantically, I pushed and pulled to free myself from his constricting hold.

  "Let go!" I shouted, when his hand fell loose from my mouth. He laughed, the strong odor of whiskey cut into my senses. I grimaced and turned my face to the side to avoid the stench.

  "I like this shirt." My stomach churned when he spoke again. His hand, on my waist, tugged roughly at the hem of my shirt touching my bare stomach. "You know what I like better? What's underneath it."

  "Let me go, Davey!" I shouted, struggling against his alcohol induced str
ength.

  He dragged my struggling body a few blocks before he turned into an alley. A knot hardened in the back of my throat when my eyes met the dark alleyway. I blinked the tears from my eyes. In an instant, I was shoved up against the brick wall. I winced as my head smacked against the gritty stone. His hands pushed against my shoulders, pinning me to the wall.

  A shriek left my mouth when the reality of the situation crashed upon me. His eyebrows knit together as he pulled something from the back of his jeans. I screamed again, but the sound cut off when the cold barrel of his gun pushed underneath my jaw. I whimpered feeling the pressure of the icy metal push against my flesh.

  "Davey," My voice was calm but the fear apparent. "You don't want to do this. It's not too late. We can go back to the venue and...." My voice cracked uncontrollably.

  "Shut up, Ella." He laughed again, his face close to mine. The stench of alcohol infused tobacco wavered around my face. I held my breath. "I don't want to hear you talk." He was drunk, but he could formulate sentences easily. I could put up a fight, but I would loose, even with his impaired senses.

  Without warning, his lips crashed against mine. I tried to turn my head, but the gun advised otherwise. When his cold lips slid over my bottom lip, I bit down hard. He howled and snapped back immediately. The salty, metallic taste flooded into my mouth. My hand shot to my lips and pulled away, feeling the liquid trickle onto my fingers. My eyes widened as I realized I had drawn blood.

  My attention flashed back to Davey. His eyes flared. One of his hands raised and swung forward. I closed my eyes when his hand struck beneath my cheekbone. A pitiful cry escaped my lips. My hand cupped my cheek as the warmth from the blow rushed to the surface of my skin. His gun ran up and down my jaw line while his free hand gripped my waist forcing himself closer to my body. I stiffened in his hold. My eyes opened to find his face moving closer to mine, again. I turned my face away from him. Instinctively, I raised my knee attempting a shot to the groin.

  Ready for the move, he pulled back but I managed to change tactics and kick his shin, hard. He stepped back a few inches, howling and swearing. With only a small space between us, I bolted to the right. It was only a moment before his massive hands slammed down on my shoulders and yanked me back.

  "Let go!" I screamed.

  He threw me back against the wall. My shoulder blades tensed when they hit the brick. My upper back throbbed. I tilted my head back, baring my teeth together in attempt to bite back the pain. Davey raised his hand back. I turned my face so he would strike the opposite cheek. My eyes sealed shut, anticipating the hard blow that I hoped would knock me out, I didn't want to be conscious for what I knew would follow. Escape was now impossible. I wasn't strong enough. I never prepared myself for the situation, or anything remotely close to it.

  A few seconds passed, before I realized his hand never met my face. I opened my eyes just as I heard a loud thump, the sound of a body smacking against the pavement. A narrow beam of light from the street shone across the darkness. I could see the outlines of two figures. One lay on the ground, motionless and the other, taller figure stood over him. A crumpled moan left Davey who was limp on the ground.

  My eyes snapped to the taller figure wavering in the dark alleyway. His breath floated in the cold night air. Darkness concealed his face. The light cast from the street illuminated Davey's battered outline. He flipped onto his stomach, his breathing heavy and staggered. The gun he used to hold me rested on the ground beside my feet. I frowned, unable to remember the sound when it dropped. Unable to remember anything that happened.

  "Leave. Now." The raspy voice from the stranger demanded.

  My eyes flashed to the man, his chilling voice was chiseled from ice. I could sense the intensity of his eyes, boring into Davey. When I looked down at him, the terror in his eyes surprised me. The intensity he carried earlier was gone, replace by terror. I watched the small tremors run throughout his body causing his arms to shake. He sat and pushed himself backwards against the brick wall, desperate to get away from the man standing next to him. When the stranger did not make an advance to Davey, he scrambled to his feet. His eyes were wide and leaked with fear. They refused to leave the man who stood a few feet away from me, hidden by the shadows of the night. He blinked and half ran, half stumbled out of the alley and disappeared around the corner.

  Unable to move, I frowned, the confusion clouded my mind. The horror on Davey's face was branded into my mind. I had never seen anyone so scared in my life. I turned to the stranger, who still stood a few feet from me. Despite the previous events, I didn't fear his presence.

  Hi face remained hidden. I examined his posture. His shoulders were wide and straight. He held his head high. An aura of superiority surrounded him. The stranger who saved my life already had me intrigued.

  He slowly turned to me, his face still hidden by the shadows. I could feel his burning gaze on me. I knew I had to say something, but I didn't know what or how to say it. I was still overwhelmed by Davey's attempt to...hurt me. I couldn't allow myself access to the four letter word. The very thought caused my hands to shake. The cold feeling in the pit of my stomach refused to leave my body from the afterthoughts.

  "You didn't have to do that." I finally mumbled, my voice breaking. I frowned, my eyes widened in shock at my words. Why had I said that? Of course a simple "thank you" from me, wouldn't suffice. I wanted to roll my eyes at my attempt to express my gratitude.

  I could see the outline of his face, but nothing more. He tilted his head to the side when I spoke. There was a brief pause before he stepped into the path of the light that shone form the street.

  I gasped, my eyes wide, when the light illuminated the face of the lead singer of The Masquerade. He stood before me with the darkest expression I had ever seen consumed by a man. In spite of his dark countenance, I found that my statement took him back.

  "What?" His voice was low and harsh when he snapped the word to me.

  I couldn't answer him, taken back by his tone. His cryptic eyes wandered over my face as he took another step towards me. The tense expression gradually relaxed as his eyes took me in. The deep sapphire orbs sank into my gaze. I had to remind myself to breathe as I remained locked under his stare. He stepped forward again. He was hesitant, as though he expected me to recoil the way I had with Davey. I should have feared his presence. The look I caught in his expression was enough to get me to run. Yet, I couldn't convince myself to get the hell out of there.

  "You didn't have to do that," I repeated for him mechanically, lost in his eyes.

  His pale face glowed under the light. He still looked like the rock star I saw on stage. His straight black hair framed his face. His black wardrobe in contrast to his porcelain skin was enticing.

  "No," he shook his head. "But I did."

  Our eyes remained locked, but it wasn't like before, at the concert. We stared waiting for the other to make a move. My chest heaved as I gazed into his eyes, like magnets to my own. Any thoughts I had of Davey were lost under his gaze.

  The cold chill of the air brought me back down to earth. I shivered, feeling the wind brush against my bare arms. I tried crossing them over my chest to promote warmth without much use. A frown creased in his features. He slid his black leather jacket off his shoulders and handed it to me.

  I shook my head. "I'm fine." I didn't want him to think I was feigning a chill just to occupy his jacket.

  "You're lying."

  He didn't drop his arm, his lips molded into a smirk. I met his gaze again, but only for a moment. His eyes narrowed, pushing me to take the jacket, while daring me to deny the gesture. My hand shook as I reached out and took the leather from his hands. I carefully hung it around my shoulders, before sliding my arms through the icy leather sleeves.

  "Thank you," I murmured. I was surprised to find his jacket cold, as though it had been taken from an ice chest. Against the cold, I still managed a faint smile, inhaling the scent that wavered around the worn jacket. I couldn't id
entify his smell in the moment, but I made note to do so.

  I looked at Ben, his chest bare and exposed to the cold, and frowned. "Now you're cold."

  He shook his head. "I'm always cold." I opened my mouth to respond to his strange remark, but his eyes zeroed on my cheek. His eyes narrowed. A muscle in his jaw tensed. His blue eyes flashed to mine. "He hit you."

  My hand raised, my fingers lightly touched the side of my cheek. I swallowed, the sting beneath the surface of my skin was slowly moving to my jaw, numbing it. I didn't realize how hard he actually hit me until that moment.

  "I'm fine." I told him quietly.

  He looked as though he was going to argue, but he suddenly froze when the wind picked up around us, throwing my blonde hair into my face. I tried not to scowl when I peaked through my strands of hair to see Ben stiffen. His expression twisted into a mixture of unpleasant discomfort and restraint. His shoulders hunched, his hands balled into fists at his sides, and his lips pressed into a hard line.

  A moment passed, before his jaw relaxed; liberation haunting his eyes. He moved closer to me, until his face was inches away from mine. My eyes were frozen on his gaze, the hunger in them apparent. No, hunger wasn't enough. He looked liked he had exceeded the point of starvation. I should have run. I knew I was supposed to run, faster than I'd ever run before.

  "Are you okay?" I asked him, the uncertainty seeping into my voice. His eyes wandered down to my neck, entranced by the skin, just above my collarbone.

  "I'm fine." He muttered, roughly.

  My eyes grew larger, watching the rock star and his sudden change in behavior. He tilted his head to the side as he leaned his face down. My eyes wandered up to the dark sky above us. My lips parted, my breath fleeing in shallow gasps. I couldn't explain what was happening. My fear was undeniable, but I didn't want him to stop. I felt his hand gingerly touch the side of my neck. The palm of his hand was hard and calloused, but I held my breath, shocked by the touch itself. His hands were frozen.