Ascension

Chapter One

  I leaned back against the bar and scanned the entire space around me. The dim lighting gave off a seductive glow and the bar itself was lit up by luminous spiral glasswork, the cascading colors showing off the expensive liquid. The venue was filled with people dressed in their finest evening gowns and suits. You could tell who the couples were from their matching attire, others were strictly here for business. Across a ramp on a lower level some were playing blackjack or poker at designated tables, and others were playing rounds of pool. All were wearing simple black masks, including myself.

Tonight was the first night I gave myself to a party. The stress of the past six years of my education had weighed heavily on my shoulders and the moment the Dean handed me my diploma I could finally breathe again. My best friend Emma, two years older than me, thought The Masquerade was a perfect spot to celebrate. I was looking forward to relaxing and hoping to have my spirits raised.

I finished the last of my martini and set the glass on the wooden countertop. I slid it closer to the overly-friendly bartender and swirled around on my barstool. Emma had gone searching for her boyfriend, Luke Martinez, and one of my other best friends, Chance Armstrong. Chance had finished school a year before me, but we've been friends since we were both in diapers.

How convenient they'd all disappeared on me. Some celebration.

As I glanced around, my eyes locked on the pool table area. Specifically onto a particular man, formally dressed in his high-tailored suit, as he circled the green velvet table with a pool stick in his hand. The simple black mask hid his face just as much as it hid everyone else's. I suppose that was the perk for The Masquerade, it was a great place for a subtle change.

I tucked a brown curl behind my ear and adjusted the gold mask across my face. I gathered my matching satin dress in my hands and slid off the bar stool letting the material drop as I strode across the room.

This lone man at the table seemed to have all eyes upon him, including mine.

I crossed the ramp and reached the sunken level. The man was already hunched over the table, ready to strike the cue ball before he took a glance at me. Almost immediately, he stood straight. I took in his all-black suit and matching tie, but his eyes were what caught my attention. They were a sterling, captivating blue. They were oddly familiar but then again, I had no idea who he was. All I knew was I'd stopped his game, and we were swallowed into each other's gaze. His lips parted as if he was about to say something and–

Then I was swallowed into a stupid desert.

A woman with stiff blonde curls stepped in between us. "You stopped your game. Maybe you would allow me to accompany you for a drink? Spend some time with me?" This woman was not unattractive by any means. Her red dress stuck to her like a second skin, and her faded lipstick against her ivory skin gave off a certain appeal.

The way she was carrying herself implied she may have already had too much to drink. The man could tell, too. His uncomfortable shift was enough for me to step in. I grasped his warm hand and tugged him towards me.

"Ma'am, we were just about to start a game, actually. I'll give him to you as soon as we are done, and I'll make sure he buys you a drink. How about you grab some water?" I gave a hoaxed smile.

"Oh!" She clapped her hands together. "Is that true, sir?"

Her undeniable giddiness was trying to capture his attention, but it was not working one bit. Instead, he was gazing down at me with an astonished expression. Instead of ignoring her, I elbowed him. He grunted and held a fake smile of his own.

"Yeah. Yeah sure." His accent had caught me off guard, but his words came off as if he didn't know what he was talking about. The bombshell blonde jumped up and down with joy.