When I had heard the term "masquerade ball", I had imagined rich old people, coming together to throw money in the air, waiters walking around with trays and trays of desserts and drinks, fancy masks, and one hell of an old-fashioned musical orchestra.

I'd imagined. I did not actually expect it.

But as I stood here in the Cole's mansion (much bigger than the Villa), with a gold-rimmed antique wine glass in my hand, looking over at the crowd from upstairs, with the soft orchestra playing somewhere beyond the dance floor, I felt like I was in a movie, or a novel. One which had hot lady assassin sent to kill the sexy Prince.

But I didn't see a Prince, nor was I an assassin.

Maybe I was the witch, after all.

As soon as I got here, Chloe had engulfed me into a warm welcoming embrace, Michael quiet and stoic as usual on her heels, as she showered me with compliments. She wore a jade green velvet gown that hugged her figure till just below her knees, then spread out into a lustrous pool at her feet, like a mermaid tail.

I did not ask her how she had convinced Mr. Stone Head to be her date tonight. I did not want to know. It was her personal matter, and as much as I was certain she'd let out all details to me, I preferred giving people the privacy they did not request. After our chatty meeting she handed me a glossy red heavily beaded mask, that rested perfectly over my nose. It matched the color of my gown, and lips.

I felt so evil. And that felt so good.

"You are not planning on going down there, are you?" Niall, who was leaning over the handrail of the staircase, threw a tired look over the crowd downstairs. He was wearing a maroon tuxedo, with a plain silver mask that matched his pocket square, looking as dashing as ever, and kinda twinning with me.

"Maybe I am. But not now. This wine is too good to be spared." I said, holding up my glass. Niall gave me an agreeing nod and clank his glass with mine. "You, however, don't seem like you're enjoying yourself today." I leaned over the handrail beside him. "Something wrong?"

Niall took a brief sip from his glass, looking thoughtful, then shrugged. "I've been to one too many of these parties to get rolling anymore. They just bore me now." He made a nostalgic face, and sighed. "I would much rather be in the downtown bar right now."

I know right?

"Me too."

Niall shot me a surprised look. "You don't like it in here?"

I swirled the glass in my hand, watching the wine dance inside it, taking a moment to ponder over his question. "I like it, but I feel so out of place here, you know." I shrugged with one shoulder. "Maybe it's just my social anxiety." A humorless chuckle left me. It probably was my anxiety.

I had not talked to anyone other than Chloe, Niall and Ian since I had stepped into the room. Everyone looked either unapproachable, or too approachable, and I constantly stirred away from those two types of people.

Niall nudged me with his shoulder, and drew my attention. There was a playful grin plastered across his mouth. "Don't tell me that after you walked in looking like a red tomato."

My eyebrows ceased together under the mask. "What do you mean?"

His grin widened and he rubbed his jaws admiringly. "My brother seems quite fond of you."

Oh.

The frown dropped from my face, and I had to look away to hide my face from him, afraid another blush might give away something.

First, there was nothing to give away.

I brushed a finger under my nose. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Niall chuckled beside me, giving me an oh really look, then lowered his tone. "I was on my way to you today, when he calls me out of nowhere and goes, 'I'll get Maeve.' And hangs up. Just...like that. I wondered what was going on, but when I saw you two entering earlier, and the way he was shooting daggers at other men around you...well, it gave away a lot."

That wasn't a topic I could argue on, because most of what he said was true.

I pressed my lips into a line, then took a sip of the wine, feigning disinterest. "He was being a responsible escort. That's it."

"Is that so?" Niall scoffed out loud, not even trying to mask up his keen interest in his brother's business, and then continued to point out at the end of the other staircase across us, where Ian was seated between Chloe and Katelyn. "He is supposed to be a good escort to his date too. Please explain to me why he looks like someone shoved a boot up his ass."

That made me laugh.

Ian did look a little tense, even under the black, silver-rimmed mask. His eyes strained on one spot, then moved to the other, lips sealed shut for as long as I remembered looking his way. But I was positive it had everything to do with the blonde bitch trying to eat his face instead of the desserts before her, and nothing to do with me. She was sitting close to him. Too close.

"I don't like her." It was out of my mouth before I could stop myself, and I quickly glanced at Niall in panic.

His face twisted in displeasure. "Me neither." He said, and I silently blew out a breath of relief.

"Why do you not like her?" I returned my eyes to their table. Someone who didn't like the person I disliked, earned a greater level of respect from me.

I was willing to be the evil witch in this case, as long as the blonde was snow white, and I could drive her out into the forest.

"She tried to get into my pants like two years ago, at one of such parties. I may or may not have spilled vodka over her dress for that." Niall dramatically sighed, looking not at all guilty.

"You did?" My eyebrows reached for the sky. Damn, son.

"Mhm, and she got the hint I don't want to be her sugar daddy. So she moved on to my brother. Ian had a girlfriend then, and Katelyn pretty much played it cool, but since he is single now, she doesn't miss a chance to hit on him."

Blonde gold-digger bitch. Doesn't her boyfriend know she is out here hitting on other men?

"Well, I'm pretty sure Ian doesn't wanna be her sugar daddy either." I said, trying to ignore the flames sizzling inside me as I watched her slide a hand across Ian's shoulder blade, whispering something in his ear, looking very close to crawling onto his lap. Ian didn't react to her, looking all the more stiff.

That bitch-

"I'm sure too. Cause' I see where his eyes are wandering off to again and again." Niall chuckled.

I instantly looked his way, and surely, Ian was staring at me, with a look that could make me spontaneously combust. I heaved a breath, and broke my eyes away from him. Concentrate on anything but him.

"I see it. No matter what excuses you two give, you have a chemistry he did not have with his ex." Niall finished off his drink, and set the glass down on the table beside. "And I'm going to prove that. Now."

"What-" I started but he snatched my drink too and gulped it down, before looking over at me. There was a determined look on his face. I didn't like it.

"Since you're my date, I owe you a dance." He said, like stating a matter of fact.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "It's okay. We'll let it go this time."

"No, we won't. I so wanna dance tonight." He adjusted his bowtie and unbuttoned the front of his blazer.

"I don't."

Completely ignoring my comment, he held out his hand. "Do me a favor, spare my pride and please dance with me."

I let out a chuckle. How was I supposed to say no when he was being so cute? I shot a quick look at Ian, who had finally looked away from me, and slipped my hand into Niall's. His mouth split into a grin.

"You're gonna enjoy this one. It's different." He took my hand and slid it into the crook of his arm, as we made our way down the stairs, and the crowd slowly started dissolving.

"What do you mean different?"

"You'll see."

In the next ten minutes, all the young gentlemen from the crowd, gathered in the middle of the mighty hall. I watched, partly confused and partly mesmerized, as Niall and Ian joined the group too.

Maybe it was just me, and my stupid brain getting territorial, but Ian stood out among all the men. There were many black tuxedos, but my eyes were trained on only one.

I had found the prince.

A soft clean music weaved into the air from somewhere behind us, as the men started arranging themselves into a huge circle. They were around fifteen to twenty of them, all tall and suited, facing away from the circle, toward us who were watching. Somehow, I was aware of what was happening.

Niall stood directly across me, but Ian was out of sight, somewhere on the other curve of the circle, and despite my attempts to spot the dark head, I couldn't find him.

The music picked up a rhythm and all the ladies moved toward their respected partners, and my feet were set into motion automatically. I reached for Niall, and he took my extended hand, bringing me closer. One of his hands circled around my waist and the other held out my palm in a gentle hold. He gave me a proud smile.

"How's it?"

I snorted. "Too fancy."

"We'll see about that. Follow my lead."

Before his sentence was complete, we were moving across the floor, in a swirl. Now all the ladies were inside the circle and the gentlemen facing them, enclosing us in. A beat dropped, and we were swaying in the slow rhythm of the music, which was so soft, it almost made me shiver.

Somewhere outside the circle-where I couldn't see-a few words of appreciation busted into the air, followed by applauds.

I smiled. This was the main character moment of my life.

"Step back." Niall said and I followed, just as all the ladies around me did too. When at a good distance, he tugged me back to him, so that I spun into his arms. Now my back was against his chest, and we were moving with the rhythm again.

I suppressed a laugh, feeling like a drunk teenager dancing at her Prom night. And considering I did not get to experience that, I wanted to get the best out of this.

"Enjoying?" Niall asked into my ears, and a giggle slipped out of me against the restrain.

"So much."

"Just remember, and repeat." He swirled me again, and before I could ask him what he meant, my hand was passed onto another man, standing beside Niall. I stiffened slightly and shot Niall a nervous, wide-eyed look. He mouthed a "you'll be fine" and then I was moving to the beat again.

The tall, dark man before me seemed amused as I peeked up at him awkwardly.

"First time?" He asked, voice as heavy as a rock. And I caught just a hint of his dark eyes under the silver mask.

"Is it that obvious?" My eyes widened as I stepped back and then spun into his chest again.

"You're doing quite good for a first timer."

Again, before I was able to reply with a thank you, I was standing (dancing) before another man.

"Hi," The blonde man in a golden mask displayed a set of pearl white teeth as he greeted me.

"Hello," I chimed, getting used to seeing new faces after every turn, and spin.

And it continued. The ladies moving in a circle from one partner to the other. Then the other.

I didn't remember the last time I was in a crowd and didn't get an anxiety attack. Or at least something close to it. Each and every man I came across was as gentle and sweet as the first two, exchanging short conversations in the few seconds we were spared. Although I could not converse much, I was not full of anxiety. I was good.

That was, until now. My hand passed onto Ian's.