Dance with danger

"May I ask this beautiful lady for a dance?"

Lucy felt her heart jump when she heard a deep voice from her back. She turned to see if someone else was being asked but when she saw the man's eyes directed to her, she immediately knew he was asking her.

The man had black glittery mask that covered half of his face. His lips were tugged up, a smile that didn't look friendly at all. And his eyes… Lucy felt shivers run down her spine when realization hit her. Amber eyes that were close to glowing gold.

Even if she had never encountered one before, she had always heard what those shifters looked like. They had gold eyes similar to this man.

She felt like stepping back but the way the man stared at her, she felt that she would be punished if she did that. She also remembered what her mother said. She should know better than to brush off men who took interest in her. And this man, he was politely asking her hand for a dance so maybe he was harmless? After all, it was just a dance.

Luther smiled wider when the lady hesitantly put her hand on his. Just like he presumed, she smelled good, like freesias and honey. He pressed on her hand as he guided her to the dance floor that made her heart skip a bit. He smirked. An untouched flower. So sweet and sensitive.

He put her hand on his shoulder before he held her waist that seemed so small in his hand. Noticing the gap between them, Luther pulled her close that they were almost touching. He wanted to fill his senses with her scent and run his fingers to her honey curls, but he knew doing too much would scare the angel. He didn't want to spoil the fun and make her run. Sure, he would like the chase, but not tonight. Not when he was holding her in his arms.

"Your name?" Luther asked, his eyes never leaving the lady's crystalline hazel orbs. He never thought someone's eyes could be this satisfying to stare at.

Lucy thought there was no harm in giving her name. It was obvious in the man's clothing that he was someone well-off and not a villager. She doubted if they would ever see each other again, or if he would spare her a glance if they did.

"Luciana Davis."

Her voice was as sweet as she looked, Luther thought.

"But everyone calls me Lucy."

"Luciana," he uttered under his breath. "A beautiful name for a beautiful lady." He smiled, his gaze fell to her hand to see if there was a ring but he found none.

"How about you? What is your name?" asked Lucy. She wondered how a man held interest in dancing her when she was like a wallflower standing at the corner a while ago. She was aware of how plain she looked, unlike her sister who became the star of the night with the attention she was receiving.

She didn't envy Claire, though. She was happy that her sister was doing what she wanted. She was fine with having a chance to see what a ball looked like. After all, unlike Claire, she didn't attend the ball to find a potential husband. But she had to admit, it felt good to dance with someone.

"Sirius," the man answered. The beaming playfulness in his eyes didn't escape Lucy, which made her doubt if he was telling the truth.

"Isn't that the name of the brightest star?"

"It seems that you are knowledgeable in astronomy, huh."

Lucy thought it was strange for a person's name. But then was the name really important for a one-time encounter?

"Are you living in the town?" asked Luther, wanting to hear more of her voice because it seemed like she wouldn't say anything if not asked.

"No. I live in a village in Westville. How about you?"

"I live here," Luther told the truth.

Confused, Lucy went on. "You mean here in the palace? Perhaps, do you work for the King?"

Luther smiled coolly. "You can say that."

Lucy and Luther caught most people's attention. Most ladies wondered who the man in a black mask was because of his demeanor and the way he dressed was like a high-ranked man. Claire, who was dancing with another partner, caught a glance of her sister and also wondered who the man Lucy was dancing with. He was the only person wearing a black mask and it was impossible to forget if she had danced with him. She couldn't help but wonder why she didn't see him earlier. She should have gotten his attention first.

Claire left her partner and went to Lucy.

"Lucy!"

Lucy's hand fell to her sides and stepped back from the man. Luther wanted to pull her back but he stopped himself. Instead, he eyed the woman who interrupted them darkly. Interruption was what he hated the most when he was in the middle of something important.

"Claire," Lucy smiled. "Are you done dancing?"

"I just took a little break. You know, I've been dancing since we arrived. I'm glad someone finally asked you to dance. I hope you didn't embarrass yourself to the gentleman with your lack of dancing skills." Claire chuckled.

Lucy's face heated.

"And you are?" Luther couldn't stop himself from asking the lady in blue dress. She looked attractive, but not as attractive as the lady he just danced with. He needed to ask for her name to know who he would feed to his dogs. He didn't like her tone and the hostility in her eyes.

"Clarette Davis, but you may call me Claire," Claire curtsied like a true member of nobility. "I'm Lucy's sister."

Luther couldn't have guessed that the two were sisters. They were in stark contrast to each other. Claire had dark brown hair and blue eyes while Lucy had honey blonde and hazel eyes. Claire was obviously bolder. She didn't even bother to hide her interest in him as if she was willing to toss her sister aside just for a man. Luther smiled. As of the moment, every woman in that hall paled in comparison to the lady he danced with. He didn't have time to spare to play with others.

"Nice meeting you, Miss Clarette," Luther said and his gaze met Lucy's. "I had fun dancing with you, Miss Luciana. I hope we meet again."

And just like that, the man walked away and disappeared from Lucy's sight. She couldn't help but wonder if they would really meet again but she doubted the odds. After this night, she would return to the village and didn't know when she would have a chance to visit the palace or at least the town again.

"Who was that man, Lucy?" asked Claire who forgot to ask the man as she was dumbfounded at how manly he looked. She was very sure he was handsome even though she only saw half of his face.

"He said his name is Sirius and he worked here in the palace."

Claire's eyes widened. "If he works here then that means he's a high-ranked man! And have you seen the way he dressed? I wouldn't be surprised if he's a duke or a minister!"

Claire couldn't believe it. Some men she danced with caught her interest because of their looks and wealth, but the man Lucy danced with seemed to stand out among the men present in the ball. His demeanor exuded power. It was a shame that her younger sister didn't know how to please a man. It wasn't late, though. She could still find him and make use of her beauty.

When Lucy was left alone again, she decided to go out and breathe some air. She still couldn't get over how the man stared at her intensely with his gold eyes. She has never been stared that close and that way. And even though his words and actions were polite, there was something else in his eyes, a drop of mischief, that made him look wicked.

As Lucy walked through the tall pillars of the palace, she noticed a shadow following her at the side of her eyes. Her heart leaped, recalling the stories she once used to hear. It was said that a lot of shifters lurked around the palace as the King's followers. And most stories about them were not good. People said they were wicked beings who preyed on the weak, raping women and abusing them with some often ended up being brutally killed.

The thought made her shiver. She stopped halfway, thinking that it wasn't a good idea if she stayed out alone. She was about to go back where the others were but when she turned, her eyes widened when she almost bumped into a man's chest.

Her gaze went up, her heart beating loud. It was the man in black mask.

"Where do you think you're going?" His voice was still gentle, but the way his lips curved into a mischievous smile made him look nothing less to a dangerous man.