The Masquerade (31 page)

I tore my lips away from his. "Ben?" His hands
instantly moved back to my waist as if they hadn't gone down there in the first place.

"It's okay," he told me.

At first, I believed he was going to cut off completely, but
his hands tightened possessively on my waist and he pulled me into his lap. When his arms wrapped around me, I was home. He moved with me until his back was against the headboard and kissed me. Our mouths explored each other's for a good half an hour until my eyes grew heavy.

He pulled away as though he could feel the energy draining from my body. His thumbs slid over my cheeks in soft strokes, "I shouldn't keep you up much longer." His lips met my forehead after I nodded. He slid
out of the bed and walked across the room to his black wooden dresser. He pulled out a long black t-shirt and tossed it to me. The overnight bag I'd brought with me must have left his mind. Or maybe he liked the idea of me wearing his clothes. I know I did.

"Something to sleep in," he explained and pulled open another drawer.

I smiled slyly, leaving the shirt on my lap. "I wasn't really planning on wearing anything."

He froze. The muscles in his upper back flexing. Slowly, he looked over his shoulder to me. I sat on the edge of his bed, wearing my form fitting jeans and my black lacy bra. One of the straps of my bra had fallen over my shoulder. With my index finger, I slowly slid the other one off until
it hung down my arm.

His eyes darkened as he watched. I wasn't sure if I was producing the seductive look the way I'd observed Hayley give many other guys, but it seemed to be working because he turned and was facing me, watching with
dangerously hungry eyes. Instead of frightening me, it turned me on. I was only kidding with him, but something inside of my stomach burned, telling me I wanted to go further.

"What are you doing, Ella?" He asked, his deep
voice lower than before. He was in front of me before I could blink. I gazed up at him, biting my lower lip.

"Nothing," my voice was light, innocent.

My arms went behind my back, my fingers unclasping my bra. It fell to my lap. His eyes fell down to my breasts. He sucked his silver lip ring into his mouth and let it out again.

His eyes flashed to mine. "You're crossing a dangerous
line, baby."

I grinned. "Say 'baby' again, it sounds so sexy coming from you."

He leaned down, his lips at my ear. "Baby," he murmured, his voice heavy. I sighed in response. He began to move his body
closer to mine but I pulled away quickly and slipped his shirt over my head.

He blinked and leaned back, still staring.

I smiled and cocked my head to the side, "Are you alright?"

His eyes narrowed. "You're going to pay for that."

"Ooh, spank me," I said sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes and moved to the dresser to toss me a
pair of boxers. "Just put these on," he grumbled.

I slid my jeans off, pretending to be unaware of the fact that Ben was leaning against his dresser, watching me. I pulled up the shorts over my underwear and looked over my shoulder to see Ben pulling on some black
jaw string pajama pants.

He turned to me and stopped, his eyes roaming over my body. "You look almost as sexy as I do in my shirt."

I rolled my eyes and threw him a warning glance when I
noticed him going for a t-shirt. He stopped once he noticed my glower and threw the shirt over his shoulder, leaving his chest bare.

He came over to me and scooped me into his arms. He freed
one hand and pulled the covers down before he placed me underneath them. He disappeared for a split second but when the bed shifted next to me I flipped over to my other side. We were facing each other. My hand lay on top of the pillow next to his, our pinkies touching.

"I don't want you to fight," I said softly. "I can't think about what would happen if,"

My words trailed off when he leaned forward to kiss my forehead. "I'm not going anywhere." His eyes caught mine, holding them
intensely. "You're mine, Ella. Don't forget that."

I laughed, "As if that were even possible after the way you just kissed me. I'll never be the same."

"All part of the plan." He smiled mischievously.

"Get over yourself," I scoffed lightly.

"Go to sleep."

"Bite me."

"Shut up."

He rolled his eyes and pulled me against him until my head was nuzzled into his chest. I smiled and fell into the silence embraced by the warmth of his body and the security of his touch. Sleep found me quickly and I
welcomed it, knowing Ben would fight every nightmare that tried to devour my psyche.

I nearly jumped out of my seat when the school bell rang to signal the dismissal of fourth period. I slipped my messenger bag over my shoulder and dragged myself out of my seat. I was exhausted. The fight Ben
discussed with the Undead was hanging over my head, a constant reminder that I was running out of time. I carried with me the deadweight knowledge of the events that were to take place over the weekend.

My sluggish movements were also from the absence of sleep, which I only received a few hours of. I woke up with Ben's arms around me. It managed to keep me awake long enough to convince myself out of bed. School was the last place I wanted to be, but I was pulling myself through the day with
Ben's bed in mind. That was straight where I was going when I got back to his home and I was forcing myself not to think about anything else.

"How was your night?" Shiloh asked with a growing
smile when she met me outside of my Psychology classroom.

I gave her a lazy smile. "Nothing about my night has changed since the last time you asked me. I slept over at his house.
We
slept.
" I stated clearly for emphasis.

"Don't blame her, babe. You have a record of holding back on us." Hayley came up behind me and matched our pace on the side opposite to Shiloh.

I could feel my heart sink. "I'm sorry," I said
again, putting as much remorse in my voice as I possibly could to convince them I was telling the truth. "I promise you Ben and I haven't gone that far." Both girls turned to me when they noticed my last few words lingered
in the air like I had more to say.

"But you're planning on it, you horny mess." Hayley teased while simultaneously shooting a glare to a judgmental freshman we passed, who stared at her with a strong look of disapproval.

I laughed, "Can you blame me?"

We stopped in front of the cafeteria doors to retrieve our lunches. Shiloh held the door open for me but I paused when I heard someone call my name. I turned to see a girl from my English Literature class catch up to me.

"Finally," Sarah exclaimed and let out a breath. "Mr. Hudson left some fieldtrip permission forms with his substitute. He wants you to hand them out before school ends so he can get them signed before
the deadline."

"Fieldtrip," I repeated, racking my brain for any memory of Mr. Hudson, the Physics teacher, telling me about a fieldtrip.

"Six Flags or something," Sarah shrugged.

I'd almost forgotten at the beginning of the year I suggested our Physics classes go on a field trip to an amusement park to 'study' the Laws of Motion. Mr. Hudson told me if I could convince the principle it was okay
with him. I forgot it was approved a few weeks back.

"Right!" I turned to my friends who were waiting for me. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

I thanked Sarah for retrieving me and dashed down a few
hallways before I found Mr. Hudson's class. I stopped in front of the door and noticed through the long rectangular window that the lights were off and the classroom was empty. I knocked once and pushed the door open, assuming the room
was vacant and the papers I needed were left on my teacher's desk.

I walked across the darkened room, my eyes on the teacher's desk by the window. I hardly noticed the person standing by the white board at
the front of the room until I heard his voice.

"Ella."

I jumped, eyes wide, my hand on my chest. The substitute, a man in his early twenties, stood with his arms crossed over his chest watching
me with hawk-like eyes. His stance and the way he watched me didn't ease the discomfort I felt. I swallowed to push away some of the awkward tension in the air.

"I'm sorry," I explained. "I didn't think anyone was here. I just wanted to pick up some papers from Mr. Hudson. I was told he left them with you."

His expression remained the same. "Take a seat," he nodded to the rows of empty desks behind me. He closed the classroom door,
moved back to the whiteboard, and faced me. I frowned, my eyes lingering on the door, feeling my gut twist. I slowly turned back to the substitute and this time when I looked at his eyes I saw the cold, detached memories of horrific murder. He was one of
them.

He stepped forward and I responded by taking two steps back. I bumped into the edge of one of the desks and found myself using the thin block of wood for support. He stopped and made no other effort to come towards
me.

"You know why I'm here," he said.

I sighed, "To kidnap me." I crossed my arms over my chest. "You're not the first so don't think you're anything special."

"I'm not going to kidnap you."

"Then you're going to kill me?" I scowled, "By all means, kill me, but for the love of God don't do it at school. This is the last place I want to come back and haunt."

"Killing you would be a waste," he said simply. "You're nothing but a blood supply to us. We intend on keeping you around for as long as that human body of yours will allow."

I stared at him feeling the muscles in my body contract.
Killing me would be too easy. "You want me to be some freaky blood slave?" I shook my head, "Thanks, but I'll pass on that one."

He gave a small condescending smile. "That isn't an
option, but I am here to give you a couple choices."

"Really?" I asked with one eyebrow raised.

"You'd be dead by now if I weren't being honest." I stared at him waiting. "You can choose to put up a fight or give
yourself in, but one way or another we will have you. It only depends on how much you value your loved ones lives." My expression faltered. He had my attention.

"If you choose to put up a fight, we will begin with
your mother." The blood running through my veins turned cold. My entire body locked with tension when he mentioned my mom. He smiled at my reaction. "She's in Charlotte right now, visiting your grandfather; a man who you refuse
to recognize has a relation to you. A few of my men are with her at the hospital."

"Leave my mom alone." I spat, feeling the anger boil within me, breaking the coiled tension that had my muscles locked tight.

"After they're finished eating your mother alive, I have men who will go after your friends. All I have to make is a couple phone calls and your mother is dead. Shiloh is dead. Adam and Hayley are dead if they
don't finish the job themselves, first. Your precious little Mallie is dead. Her parents are dead." He continued to name off significant people in my life in a simple and majestic manner like he was reciting the alphabet. "Your ex boyfriend and his friends, dead. They're going to drop like flies
until there is only Benjamin and his band left. I will kill them all, one by one, while I have my men snacking on you so that Ben can watch in agony as he dies."

I didn't realize my hands were shaking until he finished.
The horrific images of everyone I ever loved dead flashed in front of my eyes. "No," I shook my head, my voice hoarse. "Please don't."

"I'm giving you the option, Ella. You can turn yourself
in and save all of them. We're even willing to throw in Ben's immunity if you oblige."

I stared at him, waiting for him to disappear. It was all so unreal. I was the key to everyone's survival. One wrong move and they were all
dead. I couldn't bear the thought of losing any of them. Their blood was on my hands.

"Okay," I said after I cleared my throat, "But only under one condition." The undead tilted his head to the
side, a hint of dry amusement in his features. "I want time."

"You want us to prolong your sentence so you can have a few extra moments of freedom," he stated in disbelief as if he'd given me
the most generous offer in the world and I was mocking it.

My voice hardened. "I'm practically handing you my soul. There is no life for me after this, despite your intentions. I'll be a zombie in human form. I'm not an idiot and I think you can afford to give me a
couple days."

He stared at me, the muscle in his jaw working as he thought over my proposition. "How do I know you won't change your mind and tattle to your boyfriend?"

"You don't." I agreed. "But you said the one thing that ensures I will keep to my word. You just have to find it in that black soul of yours to trust me."

He stared at me incredulously. "Trust," he
repeated as though I'd spoken another language.

"It's a human thing."

He stared at me for what seemed like hours, his calculating eyes reading my expression, deciphering the truth in my eyes. I held his gaze
while trying to convince myself that this was real. I was negotiating the time I had left to save everyone I loved. Yet in my head it didn't click. I wasn't scared, not yet. My family's safety was at stake and that left me petrified,
knowing one wrong move, and they were gone. I would do anything to save them.

"I'll give you until sundown tomorrow." His eyes narrowed. "If you so much as,"

"I'm not backing out." I cut him off firmly.

"I know."

I frowned. "You do?"

His eyes moved over my body in a way that made me believe he wasn't really looking at me, but at someone else. He muttered something under
his breath, but the only words I caught were, "
like...father.
"

I held out my hand. "Do we shake on it or something?"

His eyes snapped back to the present. "Word of mouth is
enough. You should arrive tomorrow on Conyers Street by the feild."

"You're making me come to you?"

"Unless the circumstances change," his eyes narrowed. "If that's so, then your mother,"

I cut him off. "I'll be there."

It was with three words, that I sealed my fate.