Page 18 of Dare To Fall

Stripping out of my clothes, I take a quick shower, towel dry, then pull on the clothes Kellan has given me. We’re similar in height, but he’s slightly thicker around the waist than I am, leaving the pants a little loose. That’s not really a problem, I have a belt I can use.

When I return to the bedroom, it’s to find Kellan dressed. His clothes are similar to mine, only he’s wearing a white shirt. He passes me a black wooden box.

“What’s this?”

“Face paint. I thought you could design your own mask.” His lips tilt up. “I’m going for the Zorro look.” He waves a strip of black silk at me.

I look down at the box, then walk back into the bathroom. I have a black and white skull covering my face less than fifteen minutes later.

Kellan laughs when I show him.

“Perfect.” He walks to the door. “Let’s go and see what trouble we can cause.”

Kellan veers straight to the tables where the drinks are when we enter the ballroom, takes a silver flask out of his pocket, and pours a little of its content into two glasses, then fills them up with Coke.

“Vodka?”

He smiles. “Might make the night go easier.” He hands one to me.

“It’s too loud in here.”

He angles a look at me. “We’ve been in here less than a minute. Bella’s not here yet, so don’t even think about trying to escape. Find a seat, park your ass, and stay there. Make it somewhere that she’ll see you when she walks in.”

I take a sip of my drink and turn to look around the room. People are already on the dance floor, arms looped around each other, making out. I spot a couple of empty chairs near to where the doors have been thrown open wide, and in a direct line of sight of the door on the opposite side. I nudge Kellan and point. He nods, and we both walk over to sit down.

There’s a prickling down the back of my neck, and I twist around, sure someone is watching me, but I can’t see anyone looking in my direction, so I’m not looking at the entrance when Kellan swears.

“What?”

But he doesn’t need to answer because, as I turn to look at him, my attention is caught by the girl framed in the doorway.

Blonde hair piled on top of her head, and loose, wispy tendrils framing a face with barely any makeup. Her shoulders are bare, aside from the thin straps holding the white silk in place. The bodice dips deep, displaying creamy skin and cleavage, and the material hugs her hips before flowing out around her legs.

My heart stops beating, the breath stills in my throat, and my fingers crush the plastic cup, spilling my drink all over my hands.

“What the fuck?” I surge to my feet, only to be stopped by Kellan.

“Sit the fuck down.”

“Why would she do that?”

“She didn’t. And you can’t tell her. So, sit the fuck down and let the evening play out.”

Chapter 10

Arabella

Why is everyone wearing masks?

The rush of agitation that’s been cloaking me since I started getting ready for the ball slides into a panic. My gaze darts frantically across the students inside the ballroom before settling on a macabre face. A skull. The eyes staring at me from the sinister disguise are burning a hole right through me, so intently that I want to turn and run away.

I tear my gaze away and focus on a table filled with spare masks. With the little white purse clutched between my fingers, I hurry over and snatch up the first white mask I see.

Where are Eli and Kellan?

I have to set down the purse so I can put on the mask and tie it behind my head. People are looking my way, and it makes me nervous. I pluck up my purse again, looping the chain around my wrist so I can lace my fingers together in front of me, in an attempt to contain my trembling.

I know what I’m supposed to do. The orders came when I was crossing the campus. Fear and sickness almost caused me to turn back and run to my room at the thought of what is to come.

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