Twilight 1. Following the Trail

**A/n: **Just a little story featuring the Queens and Bella that I felt like doing for fun. Not sure how many chapters I'm going to put into this, but for now, I hope you enjoy!

**Author: **Deadly Tigress (No Beta)

**Warnings for this story: Blood/Gore, Graphic Violence, Language, Sexual Content**

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement was intended.

**Roses in the Dark**

_**Chapter One**__\- Following the Trail_

_Bella was having an odd dream again._

_This time though, she was in the middle of a dim hall which appeared to stretch on for miles into endless darkness. Lit torches built into the stone walls was the only form of light nearby; the warm glow encircled her small form like a possessive lover's arms, holding her without even thinking of letting go. _

It's a pleasant feeling_, she thought with a glazed smile as she gazed down at the ground._

_To her numbed surprise, she found herself garbed in a plain white dress that flowed down to the cobblestone floor in a single wave. Said dress matched the crown of white roses that lay delicately on the top of her head, giving her the sweet appearance of a virgin maiden. _

_Feeling a strange sense of ease, Bella did not react to the sudden bouquet of red roses that appear in her clasped hands, or when her bare feet began to shuffle forward to the magnificent set of oak doors that stood powerfully before her. She sensed something equally alluring and dangerous on the other side of the wood barriers, which caused her to hesitate on grabbing one of the black handles that hung above her. It didn't matter though. The doors opened up on their own accord, revealing the horrors from behind._

_Splattered against the marble walls and gathering in a dark-red lake, the copper stench of blood stained the air in an invisible cloud as the physical substance settled on the floor of the grand ballroom. Strangely enough, the blood did not leak out the opened doors as she expected it too. Instead, it stayed in the mausoleum of a room with the steady movement of waves that drifted in the opposite direction of her._

_Raising her indifferent gaze from the floor, Bella too looked forward and was not surprised at what she saw. _

_In the middle of the murky lake, several rows of wooden benches stained with the crimson liquid were lined up evenly on the sides with about a hundred people sitting forward in motionless silence. _

_Standing on the other side of the room above the fallen blood, and garbed in regal night-black dresses, three striking women gazed at her with an eerie wave of love that radiated across the room and enclosed her with a deadly thickness like morning fog. _

_Several rays of vividly rich moonlight glowed down from the windows above the women, embellishing the women's lovely faces in an ethereal radiance of silver. Hanging from their necks were golden chains with a small gold crest in the shape of a sharp __**V.**_ _The lava-red rubies engraved at the top and bottom of the emblems caught the pale light, giving the jewels the appearance of flames flicking inside their cores._

_Arched behind the trio were a regal canopy with black, velvet curtains and equally black roses spiraling around the rigid poles. From what she could see, only shadows crawled in the space, waiting to snatch any creatures of the light in the suffocating gloom. _

_Bella turned her attention back to the mysterious trio._

_The woman on the left was the shortest of the three, possibly even shorter than Bella, with a devilish grin and a mischievous glint in her gaze to match her child-like appearance. Her raven-black hair flowed down in curly waves, caressing the edges of her back as she bounced on her toes with apparent excitement. The sight made Bella smile in amusement before she turned her eyes to the two other women._

_The woman on the right was the tallest of the three with platinum blond hair that dropped to her shoulders in curled spikes. She appeared to carry herself with the strict nature of a general, though she too had a hint of playfulness in her cool stare. Her hands held behind her back in a disciplined manner, she puffed out her chest and tilted her head slightly with a curious raise of one of her eyebrows. It was almost a direct challenge to Bella, who simply blushed and looked at the final member of the trio._

_The last woman, who stood in the middle of the trio, was the obvious center of the three. An aura of silent power radiated off of her, strong and deadly, but was quiet enough to be hidden. Unlike her two companions, her golden blond hair was tied up into a elegant bun that showed off her oval face more. Slowly, she crossed her arms over her chest with a small smirk that brimmed with mystery. Bella smiled back and scanned over each woman again. _

_Each one of them were different, but had one thing in common…_

_Their irises were the same color as the roses in Bella's hands, but were far more enthralling. The mere sight of them stunned Bella into place, leaving her with a sensation of warm shivers that slithered up and down her spine. Apparently amused at her hesitancy, the women's petal pink lips curled into persuasive smiles as they raised their left hands in synchronization. _

_Without even thinking about it, Bella took a step into the lake where she immediately sunk to her ankles in the thick liquid. In an instant, the rolling waves changed course, consequently splashing and staining her white dress. The blood was hot, very hot, but cooled the closer she moved to the three women._

_Unknown to her however, the white roses in her hair wilted the closer she got to them as well._

_All the purity of the roses simply perished. _

_The white petals darkened into an unpleasant brown and hardened until eventually cracking off; they drifted down to the crimson waters waiting below, where they floated on top like the tossed petals of a phantom flower girl._

_The beautiful people on the benches watched her proceed with varying expressions of delight. All of their eyes, which were endless caverns of blackness, took in the sight of her now bloody dress and dead white roses with mirth and approval. _

_Finally reaching the three steps where the women stood, Bella gazed behind her at the still opened doors. If she wanted, she could still leave the madness surrounding her. Somehow she knew no one would try to stop her. __**The only problem was…**_

_She looked up at the three women, who watched her with an almost desperate tinge to their composed expressions. Serene, she smiled at them in a way that was affectionate and reassuring, that of which they returned with pleased smiles of their own. __**…She didn't want to**__. _

_Lifting a bloodstained foot, she placed it on the first step to the three women. _

_Encased in moonlight, the lifeless crown on her head sprung to life within a second. Dark buds inched out from the vines, growing and spreading to fully mature black roses which released a sweet scent of death that made everyone in the crowd sigh with pleasure. _

_Bella moved on to the second step, her feelings of bravery stronger than they had been. _

_Immediately, her dress's pure white color changed into a ghastly brown. It was like a dying flower, gaining the texture of something hard but fragile. Spreading to every inch of the cotton fabric, a cracking sound pierced the silence with an ominous echo that sunk into the marble white pillars. Everyone, including the three women, observed as the dress shuddered with violent shakes and then abruptly burst apart. _

_Bella was startled in place as she watched pure black silk instantly sprung from the white remnants of her previous garment. It trailed down her exposed body in smooth waves, almost touching the lapping edge of the blood lake. Pulled over the silk was bright red lace with detailed patterns displaying every variety of winter flowers there was._

_The guests watching from the benches whispered and visibly gushed over the new dress. A few women even twisted their red lips in bitter jealousy, their black eyes narrowing as they watched her with plain envy. In the darkest corners of her mind, Bella smiled vainly at the fact that the black dress she wore now was far more beautiful than the white dress she first had on. _

_In the joy of the moment, she tossed the bouquet over her shoulder to the row behind her. Immediately, animalistic shrieks came from some of the women who rushed to get the rose bouquet first._

_Rotating her eyes back to the three women, Bella smirked and cocked her head in a coy manner. The golden-haired woman smiled back, and reached out her glowing hand for her to grab. _

_Taking it with her left hand, Bella took the last and final step to her destiny. _

_The moment both her feet was planted on the marble step, the smirking women pulled her back just as the curtains of the canopy untied from the poles and closed shut behind her. All of the light from the moon was gone instantaneously,_ _substituted with a pitch-black darkness._

_Bella didn't feel scared though. The shadows comforted her; they were soft and soothing, like a childhood blanket._

_Swiftly, the cool hand clutching hers twisted her around and pulled her back into the cold chest of the woman who had helped her up the last step. She released her palm, preferring to wrap her arms around Bella's waist and embrace her closely. _

_Two other pair of hands reached for her without hesitation as three mellifluous voices whispered in her heightened ears, "You're almost with us, _amata. _Just follow the trail of roses." _

_Bella opened her mouth to ask them about the trail, but an abrupt flare of light in front of her sidetracked her thoughts. Feeling herself being pulled away from the darkness and backed into the light, she squeezed the hands that were in her own and snuggled closer in the arms that held her in place. _

"_Don't worry. I'll find you," she whispered back before fading away into the growing light._

Light was shining down on Bella's blurry eyes as she cracked an eyelid open with an aggravated scowl. Aimed down on her was the fabricated glow of a flashlight, which was gripped in the left hand of a smirking blonde girl.

Irritation settling deep in her empty stomach, Bella glared up silently at Jessica who smiled back with an image of innocence while hiding two new dresses behind her back. Stonily silent, the brunette rose and perched herself on the edge of her hotel bed, and crossed her arms and legs with a growing frown that spoke volumes of her anger. Her friend stared back at her with a playful grin and a carefree attitude that only annoyed the brunette more.

Jessica stared down at Bella with a determined expression on her face that made her looked like she would not crumble. However, it took only a narrowing of the brunette's dark eyes to finally break the strawberry blonde, who let out an exasperated groan while dropping her hands at her sides.

"Bella, come on," Jessica moaned with a sagging of her shoulders. "You promised me once we did what _you_ wanted to do, we do want _I _want to do."

A soft sigh trailed out of the brunette's lips at her friend's whining. "First of all, thanks for waking me up from my nap so rudely. Second of all, I didn't mean we should go to some strange party in a little town that we know _nothing_ about, Jess."

"Do you think I wanted to go to some boring ass museums for the majority of this trip?" Jessica shouted in a shrill octave that made Bella wince at the high pitch.

"Well, no-," she began with a shrug, already knowing what her best friend was about to say.

"You're damn right! I came to Italy for some relaxation and meeting really hot Italian guys, so you better humor me or I'm going to ditch your ass," Jessica interrupted with an exaggerated raised of her arms, holding up the dresses for a full viewing.

Another sigh, this one louder and more pronounce, echoed out Bella's chest at her friend's reason. Then again, she expected her to be this way since they were both on a well-deserved break from college. Smiling, Bella remembered how she met Jess.

What with them sharing the same dorm room, they had immediately hit it off when they found out that they were both from the town of Forks and had went to the same high school in the _exact_ grade. Both had questioned on how they could have never known each other in such a small place, but in the end, concluded that different friends and social groups had separated them from ever meeting each other.

Their situation was a bit funny though.

A peppy, blonde cheerleader who would rather party than study becoming friends with a shy, brunette bookworm who would rather study than party. Their bond truly defied all laws of social nature. That didn't stop Jessica from _cheering_ her way into gaining Bella's trust and friendship though…literally. The pro-cheerleader blonde actually did use cheers to warm up the wary girl, who had never met someone in her life who was so…bubbly.

Like she said, their friendship was quite different, but a good different as far as she was concern.

"Earth to killjoy! Can you hear me, fun-killer?"

Bella was abruptly pulled from out her memories by Jessica's heated voice.

Shaking her head with a slight grin, she observed her fuming friend who had the torso of the dresses balled in her hands. She knew that Jessica had wanted to go to some party or festivity where she could "socialize" with some Italian guys and whatnot, but Bella herself wasn't that type of person. Her idea of fun was stuffing her face into a good book while listening to some calming music in the background. Never was she the one who went out madly partying with her friends, drinking and laughing the night away.

"Bella," Jessica growled, her ocean blue eyes beginning to narrow into furious slits.

Realizing she wasn't going to win this one, and knowing that letting Jessica go on her own was an idea filled with disaster, Bella groaned to herself and flopped down onto the bed. "Fine, we'll go to this stupid party, but you owe me one," she grumbled with her eyes closed.

Her eyes widening up with excitement in an instant, Jessica squealed in a typical girly fashion and tossed the longer dress in her hand onto Bella's face with a playful snicker. Snatching the clothing off her face, the brunette quickly lunged forward to grab her mischievous friend, but Jessica was already scampering away to the bathroom with shrieks of laughter. Bella tossed a sharp glance in the direction of the bathroom before laying back down at the muffled sound of running water from the shower through the, most likely, locked door.

Shifting over to her side after a while, her gaze landed on the dress that Jessica had thrown at her. A surprised gasp dropped from her lips at the sight of it. Instantly rising up, she grabbed the dress and held it up to herself into the large mirror on the wooden dresser next to the TV.

It looked like it was made of a silk fabric, which felt cool and smooth underneath her palm. The main color was an eye-catching white that was as pure as freshly fallen snow, with an elegantly curled crimson pattern that twisted and twirled around the skirt like grape vines. Long and narrow, the skirt trailed all the way down to her ankles then flared out at the bottom with golden lace trimming the edges.

There were no sleeves, but it did have a sweetheart neckline which was edge with golden lace like the skirt. The waistline was slender, possibly to emphasize her nonexistent hips. However, said waist was accented with an intricately-made, fabric white rose, which had a vivid gold center and was speckled with drops of vibrant red on the petals. _The rose reminds me so much of_…

Bella forced her mind to concentrate, and decided that this was the most amazing dress she'd ever seen.

"You have really outdone yourself this time, Jessica," she whispered with an awed smile, gazing at the dress in a hypnotic manner.

"I know, right?" Jessica whispered straight into her ear, giggling loudly when Bella jumped. Spinning around, the brunette gazed at her friend with an expression of shock.

"How long have you been standing over my shoulder, Jess? I didn't even hear you get out the shower!"

Jessica snorted in a tone that was both playful and derisive.

"That's because you were in another world with that dress, which by the way, is the only one of its kind. So, no need to worry about some other chick copying your style, sweetheart, because your best friend has got your back," Jessica said with a smile and a smug toss of her wet hair.

Looking at herself in the clear mirror, Jess took the hotel hair dryer that was plugged into the wall, and began to comb through her soaked locks as she dried them at the same time.

Bella smiled at her friend's unexpected thoughtfulness as she observed what she was wearing. Again, she was not shocked by her friend's choice of fashion.

It was an intense, dark pink cocktail dress that clung to Jessica's full figure like a leather glove. It reached mid-thigh, and was overlapped with a long white veil of lace that hung from a pink rose on both of her shoulders and ended with ruffles. The neckline was curved down into a sharp V, giving any admirers a nice view of cleavage.

In comparison to a cherry on top, her feet were strapped into a dangerous-looking pair of white heels that wrapped around her ankles like anacondas.

"Hey, Bella, as much as I liked being checked out, I would prefer if you stopped drooling," Jessica quipped with an impish smirk.

The brunette released a scornful snort of her own, turning her embarrass gaze to her reflection in the mirror. "Drool over you, Jess? You wish."

"Why would I wish that if a sexy Italian guy is going to be panting over me?"

Bella changed her expression into one of deep thought. "Maybe because…that's never going to happen?" She gave a dark grin when Jessica turned her head toward her with a silent glare.

A minute passed as the only sound in the room was the whirring of the hair dryer. "Well," Bella drawled with a fake smile that gave her the look of someone clueless to the awkward tension. "I'm going to hop into the shower."

"Yeah, you do that," Jessica replied without changing her expression.

Backing up slowly to the direction of the bathroom, Bella grinned harder as Jess watched her departure with dagger eyes.

_If looks could kill, I would be as dead as road kill_, she thought with a mental laugh. Grabbing the silver doorknob, she twisted it around and glided backward onto the cool tile of the bathroom floor with a ghostly chuckle that made Jess reluctantly smile and rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to her semi-dry hair.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Bella began to strip down after laying the gorgeous dress onto the counter with her underwear on top. Her body felt numb and her mind blank. She guessed that it still had not fully processed in her mind that she was doing this. After all the sightseeing of Italy's foreign beauty, she had expected that she would curl up in her hotel bed and maybe read a little as Jessica chatted with her other colleges friends on her laptop.

No, she didn't expect that she would go out and party with a girl who turns into a madwoman when in the company of other party animals.

Bella ran a nervous hand through her hair, slid open one of the glass shower doors and stepped inside the damp space, shutting the door behind her. A relaxed sigh echoed from her chest as the sudden hot water pounded against her tensed muscles. It trailed down her neck, through the valley of her breasts, and further down until it pooled at her feet.

Closing her eyes, Bella did a mix of shampooing and conditioning her hair with gentle force as she fell into deeper tranquility. Her mind, vacant of any other thoughts, began to drift to the bizarre dreams she had been having lately.

Not even Jessica knew about them, and she was as close as a sister to the brunette. Honestly, it wasn't like she wanted to keep them a secret.

Ok, that was a lie.

Trying to explain to her friend about the women and her would have just brought up questions about her orientation, which would have been very awkward since Bella wasn't sure herself. She always thought that she was attracted to men, but lately she was having doubts about it.

Having dreams with those exact women in them _every night_ since she got to Italy was the cause of said confusion.

The fact was though; they were just too…strange to share.

They had the perfect quality of a nightmare, but the absolute feeling of a dream. The one she had earlier was the most vivid and intense of all of them. It had felt like she was actually there, watching all the changes dream Bella went through as she traveled closer to the women who were waiting for her. Everything about the dream should have frightened her. It did have all the elements of a nightmare: blood, darkness, the feeling of not being able to return to the real world.

So why did she feel so…serene when she thought about it?

"Maybe I have an inner dark side?" She questioned out loud with a nervous grin.

At the mention of dark sides, Bella's thought immediately focused on the three women in her dreams. Though they varied in looks, and personalities from what she could tell, each woman had the same inner quality that she had notice immediately: sinfulness.

The need to taint and destroy had scorched behind the boiling love that reflected on the surface of their shadowy souls.

So hotly the feelings blazed, she suspected that they blackened any desire to be good and burned their idea of being virtuous into piles of ash. Now, only charred insides remain, along with the entwined vines of love and lust that she knew would ensnare and pricked her with poisonous thorns if they ever found her.

Her skin warm from the water, and her mind filled with the hungry looks of the women from her dreams, Bella trailed a curious hand up and down her body in a sensually teasing movement as her breath slowed to an excited beat. The steam wafting from the hot water made her lightheaded, but that simply made her body more sensitive to the sensations she was feeling.

Suddenly weak in the legs, she leaned against the cool shower wall which quickly reminded her of the cold touches of her dream lovers. In the corners of her mind, she could hear their seductive voices whispering sweet and vicious endearments that brought a fiery blush to blaze in her cheeks.

Puffing out a heavy breath, Bella grew bolder in her actions. Her hand leisurely trailed down past her belly button, past the line that separated her stomach and lower body, to the direction of where her passion-consumed, phantom lovers ordered her to go…

"Hey, Bella, what's taking so long? We don't have all night!" Jessica shouted from the other side of the door with a loud knock on the wood for good measure.

Bella, startled from her hot trance, let loose an embarrassed gasp as she swiftly pulled her hand up. In a split-second, the voices in her head were gone. Mouth dry and her heart pounding, the brunette swallowed and called back, "Yeah, I know! Give me a minute!"

With the high feeling of almost being caught in the act rushing through her veins, she shook her head with a low groan and began to wash herself. _I'll have to start taking cold showers if this keeps up_, she thought with a weak grin as she scrubbed her skin clean.

Rinsing the shampoo and conditioner out her hair lastly, she turned the shower off and stepped out carefully. While drying her body off with one of the hotel's fluffy towels, an unexpected bolt of excitement shot her heart awake.

Suddenly, she was ecstatic to be going to this party.

Whether it was become Jessica's eagerness was contagious or she herself just wanted to go out and do something besides look in museums, it didn't matter. All that mattered now was going to this party and having a good time or…at least try to.

Filled with a brand new energy, Bella tossed the towel on the counter and began to get dressed.

She put on a pair of black lace panties, which Jessica had bought as a joke for her twentieth birthday and, after a moment, decided that wearing a bra was pointless due to the design of the dress. It wasn't like she was expecting any reason for her taking it off at the party anyway.

A stray thought of her dream lovers slithered through her mind, but was quickly tossed out with a snort. "There's no way that they would be there since they don't exist," she mumbled in a disappointed tone while grabbing her dress.

The silk fabric brushed past her legs with a soft, ticklish sensation as she pulled the dress up her body with a slight wiggle. Once it was up, she fixed it so her body fit in the snuggly tightness. Done, she gazed at herself in the bathroom mirror with a thrilled smile.

To her surprise, the dress complimented her figure in ways that she didn't think it would. It actually revealed curves that she didn't even know she had, while also contrasting with the rosy glow in her cheeks perfectly.

A dress like this needed a bit of make-up to finish it off.

Grinning, she stepped out the steamy bathroom and faced her friend, whose jaw dropped at the sight of her. "Bella, you look amazing!" Jessica exclaimed with a loud clap of her hands, scanning her eyes up and down the dress with a delighted smile. The brunette blushed as she gave a nonchalant shrug.

"I still need to fix this bird's nest," she replied with a wave at said wet and tangled hair.

"Well, sit down then. I can do it for you."

"Jess, you don't need to…"

"Bella, I'm offering the one and only chance to beautify your hair, and you're declining?"

"…I guess not."

"Good. Now, sit down so I can work my magic!"

Bella sat on the edge of Jessica's bed as the blonde began to comb and dry her hair with the hairdryer. "Do you want to have it up in a bun or down?" Jess asked her.

"Um," the brunette mumbled. "You can have it up in a bun. I always have it down, so a bit of change would be nice. Just don't make it too tight, ok?"

Jessica nodded, and began to wrap all the long strands up. Both of them soon fell in a quiet harmony.

Sinking into a comfortable stupor again, Bella watched as the golden, Tuscany sun descended down to the direction of the grassy hills through the room's window as the light blue sky bled a mix of blood-red, burnt orange, and an edge of amber yellow. A few white clouds crawled against the spacious sky as well, leaving wispy trails behind in their path. It was a very beautiful sight that calmed the buzzing nerves inside her.

"All right, I'm done!"

Bella blinked at the intrusion of her silent peace, craning her head around to examine herself in the mirror. Curled like an inside of a vortex, the bun was held up with several bobby pins in a way that display several other shades of color in her usually pure brown hair.

A smile stretched across Bella's lips from ear to ear as she spun around and tackled Jessica into a bear hug. "What would I do without you?" She whispered in the blonde's ear, who chuckled in response.

"You probably wouldn't be going to this masquerade ball," Jess said with a knowing expression as she pulled away from Bella's arms.

Confusion spread over the brunette's face. "Masquerade ball?"

"Yeah, fool. Did you think we were going to some regular party?" Jessica asked with a giggle. She picked two masks off the dresser, handing one of them to Bella.

"Well…yeah," Bella replied, gazing down at the masquerade mask.

It was a shiny white _Volto_ mask with glittery red waves outlining the eye holes. Gold, interlocked tendrils framed the outside of it and the red waves on it, giving it the appearance of something royal; simple, yet elegant; just the way she liked it.

Jessica's on the other hand, was as gaudy and attention-grabbing as her dress. It was a dark pink _Colombina_ with splashes of bright pink, the top gave way to curled, white feathers that were held together by a crystal flower. Fake gems also dotted down the nose with a mix of rubies to diamonds.

"Wow, really, Jess?" Bella drawled with an arched eyebrow, gazing between the mask and the blonde's dress.

An expression of playful anger appeared on Jessica's face. "Hey, don't you judge me!"

"I'm not judging _you. _I'm judging your _style_."

"Then you're judging _me_, Bella!"

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"_Am not."_

"_**Are too**__!"_

"Ok, ok. I'm sorry for judging you," Bella quickly apologized while raising her hands up in defeat.

Jessica glared at her for a second then nodded in a superior manner before turning to her makeup bag. "I know you're probably going to be wearing that mask all night, but that doesn't mean you can't wear a bit of eyeliner and lipstick," she stated after pulling out some gold eyeliner and crimson lipstick.

Bella took them, and began to put the finishing touch on her outfit. "Hey, I forgot to ask," she began. "What's the theme of this ball anyway? Does it even have one?"

"Yeah, it's a theme about roses," Jessica replied back as she did her own makeup, "That's one of the reasons why I bought that dress. The rose on the waist immediately caught my eye in the store."

A distracted hum echoed out Bella's throat. _Roses_ _again…_

"Time to party!" Jessica shouted after putting her makeup back in the bag.

"Not yet. I don't know what shoes to wear," Bella muttered while shuffling through her suitcase; everything in her bag range from sneakers to flip flops. Not exactly footwear you have on at a ball.

"I told you already, Bella. I got your back," her friend said with a disappointed shake of her head, pulling out a pair of gold heels from underneath her bed. A fearful expression settled on the brunette's face at the sight of them.

"No _fucking_ way," she mumbled with her eyes wide like saucers. Quickly, she backed up with her arms raised out in front of her.

If there was one thing that didn't go right with her, it was heels. Her genetic clumsiness made it impossible to walk on _leveled_ land, let alone elevated land. Hell, the last time she tried to walk in heels, it sent her straight to the hospital with a broken ankle.

After that little incident, there were no more heels near her proximity.

"Bella, come on," Jessica drawled with an annoyed look. "They're not even that high."

"Yeah, but-"

"Yeah, but, my ass. There is no way you're going to be allowed in the party with _sneakers _on_. _If you are, you're going to look like the dumbest chick in there, which would force me not to be seen with you because that would-"

"Just give me the damn shoes, Jess!"

Jessica paused in her ranting with an astonished blink, gave an angelic smile and then handed over the heels to Bella, who grimaced as if the shoes caused her pain; which she knew they could, if she wasn't careful.

Dreading the party now, Bella strapped the shoes and stood up with a small wobble. Jessica suggested walking in the shoes right now for practice so her confidence and comfort in them would be better. Bella did so, and after a while, got use to the shoes to the point she could actually walk in them. Not gracefully, but at least normally. She looked up at Jess, who smiled with a wave to the door.

"Well, Cinder_bella_, your pumpkin carriage awaits to take you to the royal ball where, hopefully, you will meet your prince."

Bella rolled her eyes. _I rather meet a princess. Maybe even a queen, _she thought with a sarcastic smile. "Thanks so much, fairy godmother."

"Hey, I'm not old! And I don't have wrinkles! "

"If you say so, Jess."

-x-x-x-x-x-

The two, after several fruitless tries, managed to catch a taxi that was willing to drive them far. Their driver was a middle-aged Italian man, with sparkling brown eyes and tan skin, which revealed his white, toothy smile in a brilliant display. He had a round potbelly and a tangle of black and wavy hair on top of his scalp that past the hairline just a bit farther than it should had been.

Giving the two girls a friendly smile, he fixed his hairpiece back into place as his bushy moustache twitched with amusement.

"And where would you two mysterious _fanciulle mascherate _be heading?" He asked them with a heavy accent, observing their attire with subtle surprise.

Bella turned to Jessica with a raised eyebrow as the blonde dug through her small purse. Finding a cream piece of paper that was folded in half, Jess opened it and gave a squint of her eyes to read the words for a few seconds before replying, "Could you take us to a town called...Volterra?"

The warm smile that appeared on the driver's face when they first got in disappeared in a flash, leaving him as pale and silent as death. Wide-eyed, he gazed at them through the mirror for a few tense seconds before swallowing with a hollow chuckle. "Aw, I see. You are attending the yearly _Notte di Immortals_ that's held in the castle of Volterra."

Both girls tilted their heads. "Notte...di...Immortals?"

"Yes," the driver muttered while he drove with haste on the two-lane road. "Loosely translated as Night of Immortals."

Perking up with interest, a patent spark glinted in Jessica's light blue eyes like the reflection of the sun's rays on the surface of the ocean. "Immortals? Oh, I like the sound of that. It makes me feel powerful...and sexy."

Smiling without humor, the driver shook his head forlornly at her, but did not give a reply.

-x-x-x-x-x-

The ride was about an hour long, giving the girls plenty of time to discuss about the party. Neither of them had ever gone to a masquerade ball, so they weren't really sure on what to expect. Bella asked to see the invitation Jessica received from, supposedly, 'a gorgeous brunette woman dressed in all black' that she had met in the store. The brunette held the paper in front of her curious eyes as she read the flowing crimson script out loud.

"Fine music and food, splendid dancing, wonderful games and… _romance _and _mystery. _Wow, whoever wrote this has a problem with describing _everything_."

Jessica snorted with an agreeing nod while rolling down the window closes to her.

Bella hummed as she examined every inch of the invitation. It was decorated with rose designs that trailed around the beautifully scripted words. Pressed at the bottom was a red stamp in the shape of an intricate **V **with a small symbol held between; a very familiar symbol. The brunette's face scrunched up in confusion.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Jessica asked, seeing her friend's expression change drastically.

"I…I've seen that symbol before," She whispered back as she placed her finger on the stamp.

Jessica tilted her head in curiosity. "Really? Where?"

"I…can't remember, but I know for a fact that I've seen it."

"Hmm…maybe it was on one of the posters for this ball we're heading too. You probably past one by, and happened to see it."

Bella knew for a fact that she never passed by any posters, but she soon let the subject drop at the stunning view of Volterra.

The ancient, golden brick town was nestled on top of a tree-covered hill. Each home was stacked either above or behind the other until finally reaching the tall clock tower that stood at the end of the settlement. Behind the square and rectangular buildings, the sun was on the very edge of setting for the day. Instead of the multicolored beauty she had seen earlier at the hotel, the sky was a midnight blue with a thin rim of fading crimson.

For some reason or another, Bella found the sight to be more beautiful than the one from before.

"Dude, look at this traffic!" Jessica yelled in disbelief, gaping at said line of cars and taxis shuffling forward with honks of irritation and impatience toward the entrance of the city.

"It's a very popular ball, miss. I'm surprised that it isn't longer. Last year, the traffic reached about four miles back," the driver said in a matter-of-fact tone, stunning both of the girls into gawking silence.

They made their way to the entry at an agonizingly slow pace, but finally managed to get to the gates. In a built-in booth on the side, a lean man with curled locks of coal-black hair, which fell down his head in a handsomely distracting manner, closed the arched gates and leaned out the booth window with a charming grin.

"Are you parking or leaving?" He asked the taxi driver in a deep, honey-smooth voice that made Jess shivered in delight and Bella shudder in disgust.

"I'm lea-leaving," the taxi driver replied in a stutter as he drummed his thick fingers nervously on the steering wheel.

Smiling with icy amusement, the booth man moved back and tossed his head in the direction of the gates. "You may proceed then. There's no need to pay if you're not going to stay. Just make sure to clear the parking lot immediately after dropping off your lovely passengers."

At the words 'lovely passengers,' the booth man trained his odd, light violet gaze on the two girls in the back. Bella instantly hid behind her hair, but Jess soaked in the attention with a flirtatious smile. The dark-haired man smirked and said to Jessica in a seductive purr, "I hope to see you later tonight, my sweet one. _There's so much I could show you_."

Captivated, the blonde girl giggled in a coy manner and replied, "Trust me, you will."

Bella choked on a laugh at the double meaning in her friend's words.

Nodding in satisfaction, the man flicked his gaze to Bella, and froze when she looked up at him at the same time. Eye to eye, they stared in silence; him stunned and her puzzled. Neither could look away from each other.

"It can't be," he suddenly whispered, his narrowed eyes widening in shock. "The Queens said you were coming, but..."

Bella scrunched up her face in confusion, but she didn't have any time to reply as their driver abruptly rushed through the opening gate. Within an instant, the man was gone from her sight and Bella was left with a weird feeling in her gut.

Turning to look at Jess, she rolled her eyes playfully at the sight of her friend turned in her seat to look out the back window of the taxi. The blonde was practically drooling as she tried to catch one last glimpse of the black-haired man at the booth.

"Oh, Jess."


	2. Hidden in Plain Sight

**Chapter Two**\- _Hidden in Plain Sight_

The two girls were dropped off at the parking lot with a very strange goodbye from their kindly driver.

"_Whatever you do, ladies, do not stay at this ball after midnight. I can't explain why, just please…don't. If not for your sakes than for mine."_

A gloomy and bitter expression etched into his gentle face, he had driven away as quick as possible without even asking for payment. The foreboding advice struck Bella as something peculiar, but she quickly put it in the back of her thoughts for later.

"Well, here we are!" Jessica squealed with an excited little bounce on her toes. Thrilled, she was scanning her surroundings with a pleased gaze, making Bella grin at her enthusiasm. Elated as well, Bella nodded her head to the groups of people heading into the middle of the square with a smile that stretched from ear-to-ear. "Let's go party then."

The paths of the town were adorned with rose-themed decorations; from the bumpy cobblestone of the streets to the flat roofs of the houses. There were fresh petals strewed over the uneven ground, swirling up in the sky when a strong gust rushed passes them. Iridescent lamps in the shape of blooming roses hung from strings that stretched across the streets, brightening the darkness with soft colors that made the city seem even more alive. On top of all that, a heady scent hanging delicately in the crisp air was wafting around the area with the pleasant sweetness of recently plucked roses.

"Man, the people throwing this ball have an addiction to roses, I swear. Bell, if I end up skipping through a meadow of roses while singing _Over the Rainbow_, will you slap me back to reality?"

Bella chuckled at the image of Jessica's random request. "Sure thing, Jess."

"Good. Now let's hurry up before the place gets too crowded!"

-x-x-x-x-x-

They reached the town square where everyone else was gathered, and were stunned by the looks of it.

It was beyond packed already, filled with people of all languages and appearances. Wooden stalls had been set up for naïve tourists, who easily gave up their money for a little trinket or keepsake. Children in costumes were running around through the crowds, laughing and shouting, as their parents called for them with livid voices that easily convinced the kids to return.

On a platform near the edge of the square, a small band played an enchanting melody that gave an extra spark to the magical feeling in the atmosphere. They played with an effortless grace that complimented perfectly with the music they produced. So entranced with them, Bella didn't noticed how deeply she was staring until one of the male musicians looked her way and gave her a playful tilt of his head. Startled, she blushed and walked away as fast as she could.

In the middle of the enclosed space, a white marble fountain in the form of a brilliant rose was shooting out, what looked to be, sparkling gallons of some type of wine. The golden-yellow liquid glided either across the arched petals or trailed down the twisted stem to the sparkling pool that waited below. Crowded around it, people with extravagant goblets and fancy wine glasses that they had bought from nearby stands held them up to the spray of alcohol until their glasses were full with the glittering liquid.

Jessica moved forward to a stand to buy herself a glass, but Bella quickly held her back by her shoulder.

"You're crazy enough when you're _sober_, Jess. I really don't think you being drunk would be a good idea. At least, not right now, ok?" The brunette stated with a cautionary look on her face, raising one eyebrow as if expecting a challenge.

Jessica rolled her eyes and huffed, but decided to heed her warning.

So instead, they walked towards the ancient castle where a large crowd was shuffling forward through the massive doors.

-x-x-x-x-x-

It took quite a while to get through the entrance, what with everyone trying to get in at the same time, but they managed to make it in without any problems. Naturally then, they huddled with the other partiers like a herd of sheep as they walked through the stone halls with hushed whispers of wonderment. Their guide, a sassy redhead with a stunning figure, pointed out the artwork that decorated the sides of the hall.

"And here is a painting of Atheno Voltura. He, _single-handedly_, eradicated away all the cannibals that had been feeding on the people of this town. In his honor, the city was renamed Volterra and he was built a grand home so whenever he returned from his battles, he may live in comfort. That home is the very castle we're in right now, which has stood perfectly for over two thousand years," the woman said with a dramatic widening of her emerald-colored eyes.

People in the crowd made the typical sounds of awe and snapped pictures on their cell phones that they would most likely forget about later.

"Ugh, can we just get to the ball?" Jessica whined quietly, paying no attention to the wonderful art around her. Bella shook her head patiently at her impatient friend. Unlike Jess, she was fond of all things related to fine art…not that anyone cared to know about that part of her. _Hard to find someone who can truly relate on the subject of art…._

While her friend griped and muttered, Bella's inquisitive eyes glanced at the detailed painting that the redhead had pointed out, and she froze.

The fair-headed man on the canvas was gazing down at her with ice-blue eyes, a slight curve on the edge of his lips that prodded at her rapidly racing heart.

Bella gulped down the sudden lump lodged in her throat. His steady gaze was trapping her into place, almost like he was compelling her not to look away. It gave her the strange sense of being prey; she was the captive doe and he was the hungry wolf, and just like in nature, he was going to finish her off with a snap of his powerful jaws before she could even try to run.

The animalistic idea made Bella shiver, but in what way she wasn't sure. It just felt…natural for her to turn obedient in his presence, even though it was only a portrait. _I really hope I never meet someone like this in real life. _

Besides the fact that he seemed to be staring straight into her soul, and devouring it with little effort, what really grabbed Bella's attention about the man was the way he presented himself in the painting; his tall back was up in a display of sharp poise as his crimson cape wrapped around him like blood-soaked wings, while his chin was lifted at an angle due to him holding his head up high with great confidence.

Just from the portrait, Bella could tell that he was a proud fellow. _Maybe a lord? Or a king?_

Another fact interesting about him was his effeminate features; the soft curve to his jaw and the vibrant sheen in his platinum blonde hair all called to something in the back of her mind. She just couldn't figure out what though.

"Hey, Bella, are you going to stand there all day and look at some dead guy, or are you going to hurry up so you can meet a living one?" Jessica's voice broke through the brunette's deep concentration, snapping her back into reality with a loud gasp.

Interrupted on her thinking, Bella gave a soft grumble at Jess for her intrusion. She glanced one more time at the portrait before uniting back with her irked friend. General Atheno's wolfish stare followed Bella's every step down the stone hall with an intense focus until the brunette was completely gone from his sight.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Their tour finally ended at a giant set of oak doors, which barely muffled the sounds of the splendid ball happening on the other side. Laughter and chatter, mixing effortlessly with the incredible music of the orchestra drifted out, sending a spike of anticipation into Bella's stomach that traveled into her heart.

_Maybe this won't be so bad after all,_ she thought with an eager grin and a twinkle in her dark eyes.

Their redheaded guide turned to the group with a charming smile. "And so, our tour comes to an end. I do hope you all liked it and that you enjoy the Night of Immortals ball. I can assure you that it will leave you…breathless."

With that last word, the tall doors opened up and revealed the sight that everyone was waiting for.

"Wow," Bella and Jessica both whispered as they walked in.

The ballroom was literally a massive dome, not even half-filled with the hundreds of people in it, lighted only by crystal chandeliers that hung above the crowds with a twinkling stillness. On both sides of the room, there were tall pillars that looked like they reached up to the ceiling, encircled by black and green vines that coiled around the marble with the deadly elegance of boa constrictors.

Organized around the pillars were tables set with classy plates and silver cutlery that gleamed under the light of the chandeliers. The chairs around them were mahogany antiques with red and black upholstery that looked soft enough to fall sleep on. To top it all off, white candles in clear holders dotted around the silk maroon table cloth with a gorgeous centerpiece of white roses.

In the front of the ballroom, there was a grand double staircase that led to a second floor, seemingly occupied by private rooms. Each was covered by shadowy black drapes that gave no view to the happenings behind them, leaving a strong impression of mystery that prodded at Bella's curiosity with phantom fingers.

Strangely though, the only people even coming or going through the rooms were crimson-suited waiters and waitresses that appeared nervous, and even scared, when approaching them. The polished trays with tall flutes and bottles of some type of expensive red wine shook in their anxious hands as they made their way up the mahogany stairs. _Something's wrong…_

"Hey, Jessica. Who do you think gets to go into those rooms?" Bella asked as she scanned each concealed entrance.

"Huh? Oh, who knows?" The blonde answered back absent-mindedly, only giving the rooms a quick once-over. "Maybe the Italian Mafia or something. They still exist, right?"

Skeptical, Bella glanced at her distracted friend through the corner of her eyes then turn her gaze back up again at the rooms; in particular, the last one to the left. Something about it pulled at a feeling inside her; a tug, determined and relentless, to make her move towards it.

Her eyes narrowed a little, a flash of shock went through her when a masked face poked through the drapes she was looking at. Noticeably a young woman, possibly in her late teens, her round eyes that were the color of solid amber twinkled with a matching smirk that was amplified by dark-red lipstick.

Heart picking up speed at the continuing stare-down they were having, Bella felt her body shiver when the girl tilted her head and licked her lips in a manner that was obviously meant to seduce. During so though, she rubbed off some of the dark lipstick that she was wearing, leaving a crimson trail behind as a messy result.

Unable to look away, Bella was gratefully pulled from her trance by, once again, Jessica.

"Hey, let's go sit over there," the blonde said, pointing in the direction of her choosing while dragging her away by her arm.

The woman, keeping her stare on Bella, swiftly turned her attention to Jessica. At the sight of the golden-haired girl, her nostrils visibly flared before she bared her teeth in a vicious scowl that displayed restrained anger. A gulp shooting down her throat, Bella turned her head away and allowed Jess to pull her to wherever she had her gaze on.

Fierce heat on the back of her neck gave warning that the woman was looking at her again, but this time, with a piercing glare.

-x-x-x-x-x-

The thing that that had captured Jess's interest was two young men sitting at a deserted table in the corner of the ballroom. They seemed to be in an argument, for their lips were turned down while they shouted at each other in hushed voices. All conversation stopped however, when the two girls approached them. Interest sparking in their stares, they glanced between a cutely flushed Jessica and a noticeably annoyed Bella in patient silence.

"Hi! I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if me and my friend could sit here. The other tables are kinda filled up," Jess said in a girlish rush, giving one of her famous 'Charm Alarm' smiles that always managed to get her what she wanted. This time though, Bella was going to make sure she didn't get her way.

"Hey, Jess, there's actually an empty table over th-ow! That hurt!" She instinctively protested at the sharp thrust of Jess's elbow that had jabbed at her ribs with threatening precision. Warning or not, it still hurt like hell.

Her expression probably one of irritation, Bella looked up at the men who had seen the blatant action. They stared with raised eyebrows and amused grins, prompting an automatic blush to rise blatantly in her cheeks. At the appearance of them however, she took note of their features, which brought an abrupt question into her mind.

"Jessica, how do you even know if these men can understand us?" She asked with a frown while rubbing her aching side. "They look like locals-"

"I can assure you, _la signorina_," the man on the left said with a heavy Italian accent. "We fully understand English, and can speak it just as well as you." He finished his matter-of-fact statement with a straight poker-face, receiving an embarrassed frown from Bella in return.

"And to answer your previous question," the man on the right continued with a lighter accent, shooting his companion a chastising glare. "Of course you can sit here. We would never turn down such lovely girls to be seated with us. If anything, we should be thanking you for gracing us with your presence."

He finished his teasing statement with a cheeky wink, instantly bringing a feeling of fondness in Bella.

Jessica made herself right at home next to the man with the thicker accent, who was dressed in a stylishly suave suit of midnight blue and smoky black. Waves of sable hair slicked back with some type of glossy gel, he gave the eager blonde a sly grin that practically oozed pure arrogance and bad intentions.

Jess didn't seem to mind; her fascinated eyes were focused on all the large, gem-covered rings on every one of his thick fingers, except… for his wedding finger.

_Oh, great. Looks like Jess's inner gold-digger has reared her ugly face once again. I sure hope this doesn't end up like last time…._


	3. Secrets and Shadows in Every Corner

**Chapter Three**\- _Secrets and Shadows in Every Corner_

_**Before the ball…**_

_Three candles glowed in the monstrous darkness that swallowed up the gothic room, hiding the mischievous shadows on the walls from all who could not penetrate the dark. Amongst the shadows lay beautiful creatures at ease with the darkness, their gleaming eyes absorbing the bit of light that blazed from the candelabrum on the ebony table as they watched the two mortals before them squirm at the attention._

"_You know what you're task is then…correct?" One of the creatures finally questioned after a dragging moment, her silken hair pulled back in a classy bun that gave her a stern and regal appearance._

"_Yes, my queen. We will keep an eye out for her. If what you say is true, she should be easy to spot from the crowds," one of the men mumbled, nervous. _

_His companion grumbled beside him, "Maybe…most women tend to try to look the same nowadays, so she might be like any other young girl who is trying to appear like some sort of prize."_

"_Our mate? Mixed in with the crowds of riff-raff and peasants? How dare you!" Another creature spoke out beside the other with a snarl, crimson eyes sparking with a fierce fire that promised to burn them __**both**__ alive if they said the wrong thing. The other beings in the room glanced at her in surprise and hidden enjoyment. Never had they seen this particular immortal lose her temper so quickly. _

"_Your Majesty, we only meant to say that she-"_

_A third creature spoke out, head tilted with a knowing glint in her stony gaze. "That she's a young female whose only want is to lay on her back and spread her legs for any interested. Yes, we know how you truly feel, and have no desire in hearing your lies. Leave us."_

_The two men glanced fearfully at each other, turned back and bowed their heads to those who were above them, then began to back out the room with each and every one of the creatures in the room watching them depart in silence. _

-x-x-x-

"How exactly does one get banned from the Colosseum?" Bella asked with a fit of giggles, her cheeks flushed with laughter and wine. Propped up by her elbow on the table, her head was resting on her open palm as her other hand swirled the full glass of white wine she was sipping on. "Did you threaten to tear it down with a wrecking ball or something?"

"If I had done _that,_ Isabella, my stupidass would have been tackled to the dirt like one of your American football players," Santo said with a reckless wave of the half-filled glass in his hand before giving a drunken laugh and then a slow headshake "No, _la mia dolce ragazza_,what I did…was far worse than threats to an ancient structure of the past."

The intoxicated joy on the young man's face suddenly sobered up to something more brooding, darkening the light atmosphere that had surrounded the two before. Taking notice, Bella placed her glass down and then laid her hand on his in a gesture of comfort so he could confess his dark deed. She only just met the young man, but by some form of fortune or fate, they had become fast friends throughout the night.

"I'm sure it wasn't as bad as you make it out to be," she said with a gentle pat, her eyes wide with the earnest need to see her new friend return back to his carefree manner. Santo glanced down at their touching hands, his own dark eyes swimming with some foreign emotions, and then looked up at the girl who was gazing at him with the sweet innocence of an angel untouched by the horrors of humanity.

"What if I told you it involved children? Children, too young to comprehend the corruption of life yet, but were then introduced to it by me?"

Shivers crawled down Bella's spine at the cryptic and foreboding words; still, she held on tight on her determination to support her friend through his struggle of trying to reveal his dreadful sin. Quiet, she stroked the back of his hand with her thumb in calming patterns. "Tell me, Santo. I won't judge you…I promise."

Sucking in a deep breath, Santo shook his head once as if to clear it before he gazed straight into Bella's eyes and whispered, "I mooned a group of tourists."

Quietness settled over their heads as the chatter and blaring of life continued on around them without a hinge.

"Wait," Bella drawled, pulling her hand back slowly. "What?"

Santo turned away, theatrically embarrassed. "I _mooned _them, Isabella."

"Mooned as in…?" _Please tell me it's not what I think it is…_

"Letting them have a glorious view of my golden buttocks. I won't even begin to tell how many parents had to shield the eyes of their children due to my shameless display."

Bella was stunned, but her disbelief was swiftly building. "You're joking, right?"

"Why would I ever joke about the scarring that could result of being mooned?" Santo questioned back with a look that was exaggeratedly horrified.

Bella stared at him for a moment, possibly evaluating his sanity, before grabbing a piece of cube cheese off of her plate and throwing it at his smirking face. One eye cracking open to peek at her, Santo dodged the flying finger-food by instinct though the aim had been a terrible one on Bella's part. Wild laughter howled out of the Italian's chest immediately afterwards at the flustered appearance she now had. Bella burned a brighter shade of red at the mental image of Santo mooning anyone. _Don't think about it. Don't think about it. Don't fucking think about it. _

The image refused to leave her mind.

"I should have known you were going to say something stupid!" She shouted with a toss of her hands, turning away from the chortling man to shake her head in disappointment. Faking anger, she turned her head away as her eyes looked up in righteous stubbornness. A masked man met her stare, seemingly watching her from above, as he gazed out from a shadowy corner with an unwavering concentration that would make anyone ill at ease. She made eye contact with him as a bolt of shock went through her.

They were a pair of violet eyes, quite similar to lavender in their paleness, staring at her in unabashed amusement through a mask of smoke and ashes. Bella blinked, her heart giving a little rabbit hop at their stare down as she put her hand to the mask still covering her face in an automatic fashion. Instant relief flooded her system at the small covering that shielded her identity from those who weren't welcome to learning it. Seemingly knowing where her thoughts had jumped to, this specter of living death gave her the most roguish of smiles before gliding away further into the shadows, breaking the spell of his haunting gaze in an instant.

"I wouldn't think about going to the second floor if I was you."

Bella was pulled back to awareness by the cautious words of her new friend. Eyebrows furrowing, she glanced at Santo with suspicion building in her stare. _His expression is more serious than it's been all night_, she noticed with a set of disturbed quivers moving throughout her body.

It was true. They were focusing on her with an intensity that conveyed his warning in a ominous manner. Curiosity pulling at her mind with insistent tugs, she soon caved in, vocalizing the simple question that hung in the air. "Why not?"

"Because," Santo shot back with a humorless smirk, his hand reaching for a plump green grape on his plate. The little fruit rolled between his fingers. "That's where the _monsters_ stay to do their _mischief_. You know, like _feed _on innocent girls who pry too deep into things they_ shouldn't_."

Casually, he popped the grape into his mouth, keeping his jaws wide open so she could see his hesitant teeth suddenly snap close in a tiny burst of juices. He then grinned at her, the drained skin of the once ripe fruit sticking to his molars. Bella grimaced in return, her curiosity not sated by the tasteless display. She pressed on for answers.

"So you're saying you _know_ something about who," _or what_, "is upstairs?" She questioned, crossing her arms in a way to look somewhat intimidating as she tried to interrogate him. Santo gave a smile at the effort, but kept his silence, stubbornly keeping his secrets to himself.

"I'm not saying anything, beautiful. Oh, look, Arcangelo and Jessica are finally back." Santo spun his head away from her then, pretending to take interest in the affairs of the other partygoers rather than continue with their conversation. Bella frowned at the blatant dodging, annoyed to the point of tossing the rest of the contents of her glass straight into Santo's unsuspecting face, but the urge went away at the approaching sight of her visibly soaked, and fuming, best friend.

"Jess!" Instant guilt rushed up in a hot wave of blood into Bella's cheeks. She had completely forgotten about her friend that fast. "What happened to you?"

A huff blew out of the steaming blonde at the question. Arcangelo, plainly amused, locked cool eyes with Bella and said, "She fell into the wine fountain."

Jessica surged to life at that. "No! I was _pushed_ into the fountain."

"Meaning you _fell_ into it, _abbastanza pesce_," Arcangelo repeated with a teasing smile, eyes warm as his ring-clad fingers brushed with a surprising gentleness across Jessica's cheek. Bella's eyebrows rose at the soft smile that appeared on Jess's face when Arcangelo had spoken in Italian and then jumped up at how the blonde's smile grew into a bright grin with the intimate touching. _Did I miss something…?_

"So, big brother," Santo said with an attentive glance between the flirty pair. "How was…the wine?" Arcangelo smirked at the question then gazed down at Jessica with a predatory expression.

"It was _divine_, little brother," he answered in a husky purr without breaking the heated stare between the two._ Alright, that's it._

Bella had enough of the secrets with these reserved brothers. If she didn't start getting some answers soon, she was going to go look for them herself. Beginning to open her mouth in a release of a torrent of questions, she was interrupted once more by the unexpected arrival of one of the crimson-suited waiters. He was a much older man than most of the other waiters, likely in his late thirties or early forties; a big difference from the young men racing up and down those maddening steps with the countless energy of twenty-something year olds. Along with his age, however, came a perfected display of composure that did not fit with the other servers at the ball, whose expressions and body language was always tense with each time they left one of those puzzling rooms upstairs.

"My apologies for the interruption, sirs and madams," the deadpan waiter said with a short bow to them. "But you two gentlemen have been requested up to the Crimson Lounge. Please, if you would follow me, I will show you to the designated room."

Bella took note of the way Arcangelo grinned in delight at Santo before placing a kiss on the back of Jessica's hand. "I shall return soon, my precious flower. Make sure to keep me in your thoughts," he said with an alluring edge, a winsome smile playing at the edge of his lips. Jessica uncharacteristically blushed, a giggle and a nod being her only reply to this shameless king of flirtation.

"I don't want to be in the same room with those…people, again," Santo grumbled though he still stood up from his chair. Walking past Bella, he leaned into her ear and whispered quickly, "Remember what I said. Don't. Go. Upstairs. No matter what." With that, he disappeared with his brother and the waiter through the crowd of bustling partiers.

"Well, _my _night has been ruined," Jessica whined as she plopped down in the chair that Santo had previously been sitting in. "I mean, seriously, look at my hair. Those damn drunks outside didn't give a fuck about pushing me in. They just wanted their free buzz."

"At least the _precious flower_ got to meet a 'sexy Italian guy' tonight," Bella remarked in a mocking drawl, her face alight with light-hearted mischief. A coy smile appeared on Jess's face at the tease; she knew her flirting with the man wasn't subtle in the slightest, but from the smile she was wearing at the moment, she didn't seem to care much.

"I could say the same for you…," Jessica trailed off her words, her eyes widening in surprise and awe at something behind Bella's shoulder. "Dude, who are _they_?"

Confused, Bella glanced over her shoulder and froze.

Two of the most striking people she had ever seen, a man and a woman, were standing in the center of the ballroom, their left hands clasped together a distance away from their bodies while the right ones either clung to a curved hip or gripped onto a stiff shoulder. They were both fair-skinned and fair-haired; the man's hair being as white and vibrant as a falling star while the woman's was golden with the radiance of the sun. From what Bella could see from this distance, the man was wearing a light gray suit and the woman wore a flowing dress of sea green silk that shimmered in certain angles of the light.

Just as Bella was about to reply, a familiar note began to play from some of the musicians in the orchestra. It was the gentle, rhythmic plucking of a lone violin. _ Are they playing Requiem for a Tower? _

In an instant, the plucking was overlapped with several more violins that were slowly climbing to a fierce crescendo. Swaying along to the music, the stunning couple in the middle of the floor were calm with their movements until the song reached its peak…and fell. Suddenly, the man spun the woman around twice at a dizzying speed and dipped her at a sharp slant that displayed her body in all of its elegance and flexibility. Bella gasped, her eyes practically jumping out from her head. Almost like her gasp was a shrill scream, both the man and woman looked up from each other's eyes and locked them onto her.

They both smiled; one faintly curled with haughty charm while the other gleamed with a calm beauty. Their connected gazes lasted only a second, but for Bella it felt like time stopped completely.

Soon though they were off, gliding and swirling with the precise movement of professional dancers as they dominated the ballroom floor quite easily. It looked as if their feet hardly touch the marble ground from how fast they were moving. They were a raging storm, with the power to put an end to any who came too close to hem or were in the path of their destruction. Closer and closer they moved towards Bella's direction, eyes staring at one another in intense concentration as their bodies expressed their thoughts and feelings through graceful motions. A pause there, a twist here, plenty of spins that left those watching shaking the dizziness from their heads. The dance was so intricate and nimble but with an edge of intimacy that it brought an ache to Bella's rapidly beating heart as they drifted closer to her side of the room.

Then almost immediately, it was over and the couple separated with polite curtsies to one another.

"Speaking of sexy Italian guys," Jessica muttered, an impressed raise to her brows and calculating spark in her eyes displaying her thoughts as she examined the stature of the platinum-haired man as he bowed to his female counterpart. A sour feeling settled deep in Bella's gut at Jessica's thoughts to the man. _Why does she feel the need to go after every guy who's obviously above her?_

Surprise raced through Bella at that thought. _Where did that come from?_

Disturbed, she picked up her glass and gulped down the last bit that pooled at the bottom. She needed some air. All of a sudden, the room had become too stuffy and warm for her liking. "Hey, Jess," she said through a thickening haze inside her mind. Her legs stood up without her permission, prompting an unsteady shake of the room around her. "I'm gonna get some air, okay? Every…thing is getting too hot and sticky for me, you know?"

"Uh, are you sure, dude? You look totally buzzed up. Way more than me anyway. I can go with-"

"No, no, you don't need to," Bella interrupted with a jerky stopping motion of her hands. "I'll be fine, I swear. Just gonna head out to the square for a sec, that's all."

"Well…alright then. Just be careful of the-"

Bella was already disappearing through the crowds with a sickly green tint appearing in her flushed face.

"Drunks," Jessica finished flatly.

-x-x-x-

A moan of discomfort trailed out of Bella as she sat on an iron-warped bench close to the square. _I only had two glasses of wine…or was it three?_

It didn't matter. All she really cared about was not spilling her guts on her beautiful dress. Hand holding her damp forehead, she didn't notice the tall figure approaching her until a glass of some glistening liquid appeared under her nose. "Here, drink some of this. You'll feel better in a minute, I promise you."

Looking up, Bella blinked at the blurry figure who was standing over her. "How…do I know…you're not…trying to drug…me?" She question in an embarrassing slur, skin burning from the heat her body was creating.

"I'll take a sip from it first if you want."

"Yeah, do it…but a gulp."

The figure chuckled, then raised the glass to their mouth and took a deep swallow that left them smacking their lips in satisfaction.

"Alright, your turn."

"Well, what...is it?"

"Let's just say it's something to keep you from throwing up all over that pretty gown of yours."

That was all the convincing Bella needed.


End file.
