8 Masquerade

I love these parties, I couldn't help but throw them once a year. Everybody dressed up in formal or fun attire, and everyone is wearing a mask. Some you could see who it was, others you had no clue.

It was an invitation to all over age and I always ended up with tons of people flooding my large home and back yard terrace.

With an open bar, DJ, staff and security, it was a party that few forget unless they drank too much.

With people dancing in the ball room to the music, groups gathered in conversation, and some people walking around looking for either some one they know or their prey for the night, I descended from my alcove that overlooked everything.

I had a habit of people watching but knew if I wanted to have any fun myself, I would have to join the mass of people.

I picked up the hem of my A-line ball gown, that sparkled with crystals and dark blue satin fabric and attached the bustle hook so I could easily move around and not be stepped on.

My mask was a half face mask, shaped into an Arctic fox, and with my hair pinned up underneath a white, flowing, lightly curled wig, I felt ethereal this evening as I drifted downstairs.

I scanned the room as I made my way down, other people making their way around me. My security kept anyone from going anywhere they were not allowed, so I did not care who went where. I move through the crowd, easily shifting between the groups, until I reach the bar.

"Whiskey sour, please." I ask and the bartender quickly makes my drink and I take a sip as I continue to walk around in a crowd of strangers. The only time I could handle being around so many people is when I was a stranger myself. Moving throughout the crowd, I could feel a pair of eyes watching me intensely. Surveying my surroundings, I couldn't find where those eyes were coming from, so I made my way to the ballroom and sauntered onto the dance floor, leaving my now empty glass on a table for the staff to clean away.

I could still feel the eyes on me as I danced with nobody and everybody for the song. It was too hot for me to stay dancing longer when I spotted the eyes that bored into me.

Hello stranger...

My eyebrow quirked up, intrigued at this man who even behind the tiger mask and well pressed suit, I knew that he was handsome.

My lips twisted up in a sly smile, before maneuvering through the crowd and getting another drink from another one of the bars set up.

"Whiskey, double, neat, please." I take the glass that's handed over and move without looking to see if I was being followed. I could still feel his eyes following me, so as I moved, I knew he would too. I made my way to a balcony that was curtained off, and proceeded to walk to the rail to cool off from the dancing.

"Is this your first time coming to the annual masquerade?" A tenor voice that flows easily and was sweet like honey comes up on my right side.

"No, it's not. Is it yours?" I inquire turning to see that it is in fact the tiger..

He chuckles, "Yes, actually. It seems like everyone else knows somebody here, but you have not talked to anyone except the bartenders."

"Observant are we? Well, you're wrong." I scoff coyly.

He looks confused, "I am?"

"Yes, I've spoken to you now as well." I grin.

He laughs, a rich sound full of amusement. "Looks like you chose correctly to be a vixen for more than one reason, it's in your nature."

"OH?" I take a sip of my drink as I wait for him to elaborate.

"You're sly and quick witted as well as attractive." He says confidently, taking a step closer.

"You seem to have dressed as a tiger to mirror it's nature. You've already admitted you've stalked me like prey." I chuckle lightly, unfazed by his advancement.

"Because you are my prey..." He says quietly, running a knuckle down the side of my arm.

"Am I now? Or are you in fact mine?" I purr, turning and walking back into the party and heading to the nearby staircase.

I could feel him following me, even with me walking at a leisurely pace, the crowd he weaves through, slows him down. I make my way up stairs past a security guard that I flash one of my fingers to him, letting him know I will be having one person coming up after me. I heard his footsteps catching up as I opened a door at the end of the hall and walked through it, not bothering to close it behind me.

I hear the door click closed behind me as I take a seat at my lounge and rest my feet and eyes.

"I didn't know we were allowed in the rooms upstairs." Tigers voice exclaims looking around at my room.

"Only certain rooms and certain guests." I inform him, as I turn to rest my arm and head on the arm of the lounge.

He looks around and comes forward, "Do you know our host?"

I smile, "I do. We're close friends, her and I. That's why I get my own room for these parties..." I wave my hand around.

"Where's our host then?" He asks sitting down on the end of the lounge, intrigued.

"She's around, somewhere." I roll my eyes, waving a hand in dismissal. "Are you interested in her, or me?" I sit up looking at his lips that are perfect for kissing with a full bottom lip, that had me thinking of sucking on it and biting on it to make him moan.

"Oh, I'm definitely interested in you." He runs a hand up my exposed ankle, sending a shiver to run through my body.

I hum in response, "Why is that?"

"You're the only woman I've seen tonight." He says without missing a beat.

The scoff that escapes me sounds churlish, opposite of the curling smile that crosses my face.

"That's a good one, tiger. Do you use that on all women you meet at parties?"

He laughs, "Do you know how much confidence it took to tell you the truth? Since you walked down that staircase a little while ago, I have kept my eyes only on you, and you think I'm trying to be some suave Casanova?" His hand comes off my ankle, and he runs it through his hair. His frustration from embarrassment, is evident in his eyes.

I giggle, making his confused head turn to me. "What's so funny?"

"Not funny, cute. It's cute how frustrated you got over trying to make a good impression on me and when you think it's gone all wrong you're trying to figure out how to rectify the situation, with a stranger..." I sit up and scoot closer to him on the lounge and place my drink on the table in front of us.

"Cute? Well, I can handle being called cute." He shrugs the comment off like it's nothing, realizing he's not being dismissed from my company.

"You're not like most men," I smirk at him nudging his shoulder with my own, "others would not try to think about rectifying the situation, even with their own partner, much less a stranger. I guess it's true, you can't judge a tiger by his stripes..." I lean back on my hands and watch how his brain catches up with my compliment. He turns to me, eyes now curious more than ever on who I am.

"So, tiger... What do you do? How is this your first time at the annual Masquerade?" I ask him to get him talking.

"Well, I'm the chairman to a company who deal in the manufacturing of sterile equipment for various professions. This is my first time here, because I came to complete a purchase of land to build a new plant at, where we will use recycled materials to create our plastics and packaging for other supplies we make. I was told by the real estate agent that's working with me to purchase the land, that if I was bored, that I should come." He leaned against the back of the lounge, body turned facing me, becoming more comfortable with me by the second.

"What about you, fox? What do you do and do you come here every year?"

I flash a big toothy smile, before coyly informing him, "I work in the publishing industry."

"Like a editor?" He queries.

"Yes, and no... I own the publishing house and I am a writer myself." I lean forward and take a swig of my drink. I turn more towards him to talk when I lean back, intentionally making us sit closer.

"I have come to every masquerade held, I love them." I say enthusiastically, rolling my shoulders to emphasize.

"What do you love about them?" He can't keep his eyes off my lips for long as I lick them, so I bite my bottom lip and grin.

"That I move about in a crowd and no one stops me, no one knows me, I can be whoever I want to be. A vixen, a minx, just another stranger in the crowd...."

He's being honest, why shouldn't I?

"Do you not want to be noticed?" He closes the gap between us more.

"Not for who I am everyday." I retort.

" So you like a little mystery in your life?"

"You could say that."

Our faces are mere inches from each other, and I am waiting for him to kiss me. The air is charged with sexual tension and attraction, but he blinks and looks back up to my eyes.

"I would very much like to kiss you." He says uncomfortably.

My smile spreads wickedly wide, "Prove it." I say cocking a brow.

My face is instantly enveloped by his large, strong hands as he places his lips on my own. Immediately invading my mouth with his tongue, demanding and fierce with his ministrations, making me moan.

He responds with a pleased groan, one hand sliding down my back to pull me closer to him. My hands immediately go to his chest, pulling at his suit's lapels, tugging him closer right back.

Our masks click and clack together as we kiss, tiger getting more dominate with the kiss as I begin to pull his jacket off. I'm unbuttoning his waistcoat and shirt, ready to have my way with this sweet, considerate stranger.

Of all the masquerades, I've only beckoned prey twice before.

Third times the charm...

The thought runs across my mind, maybe I will have finally found someone who's not intimidated by carnal desires....

Let's see what he's capable of first... Don't want to scare him away before I even get to play...