I called Fraser.

Mainly because I remembered that he'd promised to take me to the shelter today, and part of me hated that I won't be able to see Frost again.

I shouldn't get so attached to a freaking puppy.

"Oh, no problem." Fraser said on the other end. "I was about to call you and ask about that. But then I realized you didn't have your phone."

I frowned at that because I clearly didn't remember telling him about my phone. I hadn't told that to anybody but Alice.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Alice told me." He replied. "Where are you anyway? You're not at school either."

I leaned back against the soft couch. Looking around, I realized how Luca was nowhere in sight. I hadn't seen him leaving.

"I had this work to do. I'm out of town. Will be back by tomorrow." I kept it short, hoping that he wouldn't ask anything more.

Because then I'd have to ask him to mind his own business, and I really didn't want to sound mean when all he was being was nice to me.

"All right." He said. "Take care, Gracie. I'll give your message to Frost. Hopefully, he won't still be sulking around."

I felt the guilty clawing inside me. "Don't make me feel bad, Fraser."

He just laughed lightly. "Anyway, I'm giving the phone to Alice. She says she has this...important girl stuff to talk about." I could almost hear him frown on the other end.

I rolled my eyes and hummed in response. Soon enough, I was hearing Alice's voice, "Shoo away, Fraser. Don't eavesdrop on the girls talk."

I almost smiled at that.

"Oh my God, Gracie! Guess what?" She asked me, her voice a pitch higher.

I scrunched up my forehead at that. "What?"

"The guy back at that Carnival, who was arrested by the police, he ran away. And like, the police was everywhere today."

I frowned at that. "Really?"

"Yes!" She spoke up. "They all are saying that he's going to be killing other people now. Just like Anna."

I kept on frowning.

"Basically, a serial killer is on loose." She chuckled almost excitedly. "I heard you're out of town. Lucky you, Gracie."

The same moment, the door opened and Luca came back inside. His eyes found mine before he looked away, placing both of our bags on the floor.

"Who did you go with?" She asked curiously. "Is there someone I don't know about?"

"No." I whispered. "I have to go now, okay?"

"Aw. I miss you, Gracie." She said. "When are you coming back?"

"Tomorrow. I just told Fraser that." I inhaled deeply. "I'll talk to you later."

She hummed in response.

"Alice?" I spoke up. "If something else happens, tell me."

"Whose number is this anyway? Last time I remember, you didn't have a phone. Is this your new number?" She asked, clearly not getting the clue that I needed to end the call.

"No, this isn't mine." I said, a little exasperatedly.

"Whose phone is it then?" She asked. "I knew you were with someone."

"Alice–"

"Geez, okay. No need to get angry at your sweet best friend."

Best friend?

"Did you tell anyone that I lost my phone?" The question blurted out of my mouth before I could've stopped it. I felt Luca staring at me then.

"I don't think so." She said. "Why?"

"Not even Fraser?" I asked, confused now.

"I don't remember." She said. "Wait, I didn't tell anybody. I keep your secrets with myself only."

"All right then. Bye." I muttered before ending the call. This time, the frown didn't seem to leave my face.

Maybe I was just thinking too much.

"You lost your phone?" It was Luca this time. I was glad that he spoke up, though. I was really starting to hate the uncomfortable silence around us.

"Yeah." I whispered, walking off towards him before handing him his phone. "Back at the Carnival. I think I dropped it somewhere."

Luca's eyes trailed down to his phone in my hand. He slowly, almost with hesitation, took it back.

"He ran away. The guy who was arrested." I looked up at him. "Did you know that?"

Luca held my gaze for the next few seconds before he turned away. "Yeah, of course. He would've ran away sooner or later."

I sighed and went over towards my bag, looking for my clothes. I needed a shower to drain away all the exhaustion.

Without saying anything, which I'm sure he wouldn't have appreciated, I took my most decent clothes and went inside the bathroom.

•••••

The Grand Art Hall was huge.

Almost like a mansion. And when I saw the huge ballroom where girls in long flowy gowns and guys with expensive suits were dancing, I realized that this place looked exactly like a castle. A royal castle.

I hadn't known Chase was this rich.

"What are we supposed to do here?" I asked, almost in a whisper. But Luca heard it since he was right beside me. He glanced at me before continuing to walk off towards the other two big doors where two bulky guards were standing.

There was a long line standing in front of the doors, getting checked and being sent in. I didn't even know what was happening behind those doors.

"The auction area." Luca looked at me. "That's where Chase will be."

I nodded, following behind him. Surprisingly, the guards weren't checking any sort of IDs. When Luca told them his name, they let him enter. Until the guard's eyes trailed on me and he rose a brow.

How the hell was I supposed to enter?

"She's with me." Luca spoke up before taking hold of my wrist and pulling me behind him.

I didn't get the time to feel surprised over it when I went inside. And this place was much bigger than the ballroom I had just been into.

The lights were darker here. The crowd was huger. And almost everyone looked cruel, even the ladies. I was kind of glad of Luca's hand around my wrist. It reassured me in a way.

Luca stopped near one corner and looked around, his eyes searching for someone. Then he turned back towards me. "I think Chase is here. But getting him to talk alone would be hard. Especially with his men around. So if I do corner him, you need to be quick."

I just nodded in response, part of my brain still focused on his hand around my wrist.

Luca opened his mouth to say something else when a voice interrupted him, "Lucius!"

He turned around abruptly just as I looked behind him. It was a girl, probably older than me. Her long silver gown hugged her body perfectly, showing off the curves.

Luca let go of my wrist almost immediately, making me look at him with a sort of pang in my chest.

"Ember." Luca spoke up, looking at her.

She smiled at him, almost warmly, before enveloping him in a hug. "How are you? It's been quite long since I last saw you."

I couldn't help but notice this sort of motherly affection in her eyes. Even if she didn't look that old.

Before I could've stepped back a little, her vibrant green eyes found mine and they widened a little in excitement.

She really was beautiful.

"You brought a guest." She broke away from him and came towards me, almost immediately pulling me in a hug too.

I hesitated a little before hugging her back, Luca eyeing me all the while. When she pulled away, there was a wide smile on her face.

She smelled like roses and probably the most expensive perfume out there.

"I'm Ember." She introduced herself. "It's nice seeing new faces here. Luc back there isn't a new face, but you are."

The mere fact that she just called him Luc made me realize that she was probably close to him. But the look she was giving me almost made a shiver run up my spine. Almost like a predatory look.

The way wild wolves look at their prey before gobbling them up.

Almost immediately, Luca came beside me and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me back. Both Ember and I looked at him in surprise. He, however, pulled me back behind him, something I was kind of grateful for.

"We're here to see Chase." He said, looking at Ember. "If that won't be a problem."

Ember's sweet smile twitched a little. "Of course. He's kind of busy right now but I'll convey your message." She said, stepping back. "Enjoy you two."

And when she was gone, I realized that Luca's hand was still around my waist. I could feel the warmth of it and a strange feeling slowly grew inside my chest.

"Who was she?" I whispered. As if breaking out of a trance, he pulled his hand away and frowned. Using the same hand, he pushed back his hair from his forehead.

"Chase's wife." He muttered. "She has a thing with manipulating people."

I looked back to where she had just left. The crowd had gathered and there was no sign left of her. "Would she really convey the message to him?" I asked. How else were we supposed to talk to Chase?

"I don't know." Luca replied. "Let's just hope she does. I really don't want to corner him the hard way."

I looked around once again, at the strange faces around me. The only person I knew here was Luca and that made me uncomfortable. I wrapped my arms around myself.

"I've got some things to do." He looked at me. "You can stay here. Or you can explore the place if you want."

I couldn't believe he was saying that, but I nodded anyway.

"Just don't indulge in conversations with anyone." He pointed that out before disappearing into the crowd, his black shirt visible to me for few seconds before it disappeared too.

An overwhelming sense of loneliness enveloped me. But I shrugged it away and started walking out of the doors.

Since this place was creeping me out, I went back to the ballroom. Bright lights shone across the white marble floor, crystal chandeliers hanging down from the ceiling.

This place was beautiful. And the people were still dancing. I slowly walked over towards one corner, aware of some stares I got.

I couldn't have felt more out of place than this. Everyone was wearing expensive suits and gowns. I may have been the only one in this ballroom who was wearing jeans and a tank top. Though I was thankful of the jacket I had snatched over me at the last minute.

I walked along the crowd, looking at the people who danced slowly along with the melodious tune. Almost everyone was wearing beautifully decorated silk masks, as if this was a masquerade.

Maybe it was.

It was comforting for some reason, not suffocating like in that auction area. Especially because of those bright golden lights.

"Can I be honored to have this dance with you?" I turned around instantly at the voice right behind me.

It was a guy dressed all in black. Black shirt. Black jeans. Black boots. I would've mistaken him for Luca if it wouldn't have been for his blond hair. He had a black mask on his face, covering it all, all I could see were his hair.

Which would've been a problem only if everyone else wasn't wearing one.

"Um...I actually have to go." I stepped back awkwardly.

"Just one dance?" He tilted his head a bit, his voice coming out soft and gentle.

I frowned a little and looked down at his outstretched hand. Weighing the consequences, I placed my hand in his and let him drift me in the dancing crowd.

If he tries to do something, I'll just punch him.

When we were in between the crowd, he stopped and wrapped an arm lightly around my waist, the other hand holding onto my hand. I slowly guided my hand up on his shoulder, thinking how awkward it would be if I did not just do that.

The dance was slow, growing this calm feeling inside me. Even if I was dancing with a total stranger.

"You aren't wearing one of the gowns." The guy pointed it out. "And I haven't seen you here before."

As if that wasn't obvious.

Don't indulge in conversations.

"Yeah." I kept it short, looking away. I was kind of took off guard when he twirled me around before pulling me back against him, then dipping me low. I clutched on his shoulders before he pulled me back up.

My heart sped up, but in an exciting way. I never liked dancing, but this felt strangely good.

"You're here to see Chase." He pointed out. And I realized the look he was giving me somehow matched to the look Ember had been giving me.

What was up with these people?

"You're beautiful." He leaned closer with the same predatory look. An uneasy feeling grew in my stomach.

Guess a punch would do good now.

"I know you're–" Before he could've leaned closer, he yelped. Almost in surprise. And that was not because I punched him. I mean, I was about to do that but I clearly didn't have to.

I realized how a girl had managed to tumble her wineglass on him, spilling the wine on his clothes. A lot of it actually.

I backed away from the guy when he let go of me. The girl looked at him with a not-so apologetic expression.

"Whoops." She said.

_______________________________________________________________________

→Guess who's the girl? ;)

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Xoxo,

Crystal 🌿