Beyond The Mask (The Beyond Book 1)

by Hunter, Aubrianna

  Wearing costumes was like becoming someone else. In a matter of seconds you could change who you were and what people thought of you. It was like magic. A simple costume could rewrite who you were to all those who saw you. The thought alone was invigorating and Derek hungered to satiate the starving wonder of what a costume shop might contain.

  The possibilities were endless, and finally the day had come. For days he had imagined dressing Jade up as everything from a dirty anime nurse to a slutty pirate. He could barely contain his growing excitement during the morning hours and now that darkness was nearing it would be safe to go out and finally experience that which he had for days only imagined.

  After Jade had roused him from his fantasized glories, he quickly rose and grabbed their jackets on their way out the door. Handing Jade hers, and donning his own, he pulled his head deep into the hood and shoved his bare hands into its pockets before stepping out onto the street.

  They walked, mostly in silence, as Derek glanced about nervously, feeling as if they were being watched. To keep himself distracted, comforted, he counted the sidewalk squares over the seventeen blocks they traversed, only looking up to ensure that no one followed from behind.

  Arriving at the costume shop, he opened the door for his green-eyed beauty, and followed her into the building. Though he watched as her anticipation turned to disappointment, the rows and shelves of cheap costumes piqued his interest thoroughly.

  Though he noticed Jade step away to seek assistance and tried his best to follow, the costumes and fantasies that came with them would not release him. It was not until minutes later that Jade returned and, grabbing his arm, bodily hauled him through the store, breaking his focus upon the unreal.

  A short time later, they stood within a back room where an older man fawned over them, primarily Jade, as if he was making up for some offence he had committed against them. Derek found this peculiarity unnerving, but was certain he could defend against the man if this act was a ruse. Quickly and quietly he surveyed the room, spotted all three exits, and stepped between the man and Jade. Just in case.

  Within seconds they were on the move again as Jade guided him towards a fitting room, an immense pile of fabric in her arms. Though he absently tried to enter the small room with her, she abruptly pulled the door closed between them and there he stood staring ahead at the plain wooden surface. The door had eighteen wooden slats, each angled and overlapped to hide what lay beyond.

  When the door moved again, Derek beheld a creature much unlike the one that had entered. With luxurious curves and supple flesh, she stepped from the small chamber and twirled like a ballerina as his breath caught in his throat. The garment hung from and clung to her every perfection as if it were born there, and though she spoke, the mask she held before her face hid that which he most desired. He needed to see her eyes to complete the fantasy that she had become, for now they lay cast in shadow.

  He beckoned her to lower it, as words were not forthcoming. For seconds that lasted eternities, he sought that final vision of perfection, a sight he would revel in forever. Finally she relented that which he desired, and as she lowered it, she revealed what lay beyond the mask. Perfection.

  Not that she was flawless. Nor was she more beautiful than any other woman. But in that gown she had been born to walk, and Derek believed that he and Jade had been destined to live altogether in another time. So he would write her.

  * * * * *

  Alley to alley and street by street Gunny tracked him, giving his prey a hefty lead. He had foreseen this day near a week prior and felt the warnings both spoken and implied. Days ago he had seen the thing that had once been a man. But upon it a scent that made him sick. It was the same scent Derek carried upon him: the scent of his lover, the infamous Jade.

  Though Gunny had never met Jade, smelling her on the wretch was at first confusing. He first assumed the girl was being unfaithful, and knowing Derek was strained, trying to find his way in the darkness, he dared not mention it without proof.

  Not knowing what else to do, his training screamed that reconnaissance was necessary. For several nights he tracked it, as it took to ground during the day, and it was not long before he realized that his first theory had been out of line.

  The girl loved Derek, end of story. She went to work, did her job, and came home to the man she cared for. Though he watched them interact through the window at a distance, it was not his intent to breach their privacy. For it was the beast he tracked that watched the couple for its own reasons, and Gunny was watching it.

  Even now he followed the thing. It was not the only of its kind he had seen. With his rifle strapped firmly to his back under the heavy camo coat to disguise it, he stepped back out of the alley and into the street. His leg squeaked. Loudly.

  The damned thing was always doing things like that. Playing games when he was trying to be serious. Even now, when he was on recon duty, the damned thing wanted to bring them attention. He could not wait until he found the guy that got his leg. This one was annoying. Gunny spat on the bolt in its hinge hoping to silence it.

  Watching carefully to see if his prey had heard, he witnessed as the creature scaled a fire escape to hide from view of the young couple that had just entered a shop on the next block. Gunny clung to the shadows and waited.

  Gunny had listened through the glass walls of the front of the costume shop. He had heard the soulless man he tracked speak of his friends. He was frightened by the words that filtered through the glass. Waiting on the demon blonde to exit, he clung to the darkest shadows in an adjacent alley. Moments later the demon departed and Gunny rose and approached the storefront opposite him.

  Shoving the door open with one hand he reached behind his back with the other, pulling his AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle from under his coat. He trained it on the shopkeeper and spoke in a tone that left nothing to question.

  “Where is the ball?”

  Less than a second later, he fled the store, information had, a destination located. The shopkeeper had shit himself. Gunny would no longer be able to look out for his friend if he was to make it across the city unnoticed.

  * * * * *

  When the taxi dropped them off in front of the address on the invitation, Jade was certain there had been a mistake. This was someone's home. Granted it was by far the largest, most beautiful home she had ever seen. Grander even than her imagination had ever been able to conceive. But, it was still someone's home. Either they were in the wrong place, or they were in serious trouble.

  What had Derek been thinking? They shouldn't be here. There was no way they were going to be able to blend in at this party. Someone would know they hadn't really been invited.

  Just as her nerves were about to break, which would result in a fight or flight response, she realized Derek had somehow dragged her up the stairs and they were standing beside the enormous front doors.

  "Invitation please," a gentleman asked. Was he a butler or a bouncer? Her guess was some sort of security based simply on size and demeanor.

  Unable to speak, she pulled out the invitation and showed it to him, forcing a smile she hoped looked polite rather than constipated.

  He took the invitation then nodded while stepping aside for them to enter. The breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding suddenly whooshed out of her lungs, leaving her a little lightheaded.

  "Relax. I told you the invitation was meant for you. Besides, we are wearing masks, Jade. It'll be fine."

  Was Derek being remarkably intuitive, or was she so tense that even he could tell something was wrong? Taking a quick head to toe evaluation, she acknowledged that she was quite literally stiff as a board. She also had a death grip on Derek's forearm, her fingers formed into little talons.

  Forcing herself to relax each and every muscle, she took a couple long deep breaths.

  Jade was normally very confident, comfortable with herself and her surroundings. But this night may prove to be the exception to the rule. Whether they had truly
been invited or not, she didn't belong here.

  Glancing around, she tried to absorb every little detail of her surroundings. When her nerves had settled, probably once she was safely home and ensconced in her bed, she would pull out the details and relive this evening. For now, it simply felt surreal.

  Every piece of the foyer had clearly been considered. Nothing here was simply set down, nothing out of place, no detail overlooked. The floors were marble, which continued up the dual staircases that framed each side of the grand entrance. The ceilings must have been at least twenty feet high, most likely more than that. The colors were warm, somehow welcoming despite the obvious luxury.

  After someone took their coats, they were escorted to another set of double doors. Though these were already opened, there were still two tuxedoed men standing guard. More security. When she and Derek stopped there she wondered if they were allowed to enter, but the man on the left opened his arm, gesturing them to enter the ballroom.

  She stopped once again at the top of the stairs, her breath stolen away by the beauty before her. Here she was, a simple nobody, stepping into a vision straight out of every little girl's fantasy. A princess for a night.

  * * * * *

  Nik knew the second she entered the ballroom. It seemed as if every nerve in his body began to surge, sending little zips throughout his limbs. He turned to find her standing at the top of the staircase that entered the Grand Ballroom.

  She seemed almost frozen in place, a bemused smile lighting her lips. Her hair was wound up into some sort of braided twist, piled high upon her head. The deep purple satin set off the red highlights in her hair, making it shimmer under the soft golden light of the chandelier. The gown was perfect, fitting not only her form, but her essence, as if it had been made only for her; a woman born into the wrong era.

  Though a mask hid her face, there was never any doubt that this was she. He had hoped that she would accept his invitation, deliberately staying out of The Beyond to avoid a confrontation with her. It had been important to him that she come of her own accord, without further prodding from him.

  His glance strayed briefly to the man beside her, dressed in a black velvet tunic and black satin breeches. Despite his height and build, all of which made him a handsome man by the standards of any generation, he wasn't nearly good enough for her.

  His gaze returned to her, watching as she began her descent into the room, into the fray. He held his position, biding his time. Tonight he would finally speak to her, more than a simple drink order. Tonight he would finally begin to know her, to understand why he found her so compelling.

  Tonight, she would also begin to know him.

  * * * * *

  Derek forgot to breathe upon entering the ball proper. It were as if for a moment, for many moments, part of the world inside his head had escaped and now played out before him. The room was, in essence, what one expected to find in a palace. So luxurious and fine was the immense room that here, upon the fringes of the filthy city, it felt severely out of place. Fantasized.

  Giant white stone columns flecked with gold supported a majestic arched ceiling high above and from it great crystal chandeliers dangled from the heavens painted above. Upon the ceiling, angels kept watch upon those below, reaching down from the beyond as if fearful of losing contact with mortal woes.

  From the top of the staircase that wound down into another era, he witnessed as a small symphony of musicians began to play a slow tune that gradually grew in volume. The music completed the scene, and hearing its whispers, he felt oddly aroused. Not in a sexual way, though Jade did look absolutely edible, but in an intellectual way. His imagination struggled to awaken.

  They started down the stairs, their arms interlocked. Finally Derek remembered to breathe again, and trying to take it all in within the span of a breath, he felt for a moment he could fit in here. He belonged.

  It was as if a great weight had been lifted from his soul, or perhaps a veil of fear had been torn aside, revealing the world he really belonged to. Derek took the last stair and relinquishing Jade’s arm he spun to face her.

  Bowing slightly, as was customary, he raised his hand in invitation.

  “Would you be so kind as to grace my side with your beauty, Lady Jade, and allow me a dance?”

  Without a word, as if her breath had caught in her throat, though it was more likely she choked back a laugh, she placed her small hand in his. Acquiescence granted.

  He led her then, like the king of his realm, across the polished marble floor, her hand held daintily in his own. Then, surrounded themselves with the crowd of prancing and twirling couples, he spun again and grasped her waist with his free hand. Derek was not afraid.

  He had seen scenes such as this a million times within his head. Here, like there, beautiful women were dressed to the hilt in form-flattering gowns and corsets. The men were the same, dressed as well-to-do gentlemen of another time, each putting their honor into every word and action. Here Derek was home. He was free. He was not afraid to be seen, for here he could be anything he wanted. The mask granted him obscurity.

  Though he had seen the dances and knew them to a degree, something still felt off. For the moment. However, he wouldn’t allow it to spoil his fun. With Jade in hand, he twirled her and spun her, strutting around the floor as if he owned it. He did own it. In a sense.

  Though Jade’s demeanor had started off more or less detached and uncharacteristically insecure, now that had washed away. She soon began to find the odd rhythm in the tune, the steps required, the timed twists and twirls. Slowly she regained her confidence until, as usual, she became a slave to the music.

  Derek could not help but notice the change as her hips began to swing, her lips changing from a straight concentrated line into a wry grin before parting in a full smile. She laughed happily then, a sound that was music to his ears, a sound that spoke volumes to him. She had found her place in this world with him. She, too, was finding comfort, and with him she was enjoying herself.

  Upping the ante, he resumed the lead and guided her through a more difficult routine. She anticipated nearly every move, reading his body like an open book. They laughed together, and Derek lost himself into her and into the flowing of music and emotions. Time disappeared as he was swept away, the room shrinking into oblivion behind him.

  Sometime later, perhaps minutes, maybe hours, he resurfaced again to find Jade still in his arms. They continued to move as one across the ballroom floor, and through her mask he could see the intent emerald eyes looking through him. She knew he had left, but she also knew it was out of his control. She neither blamed him nor faulted him for it. She accepted him.

  Derek guided them across the floor as the current song came to a conclusion, and they stepped from the throng of dancing bodies.

  “I am parched m’lady,” Derek began. “Could I interest you in a stout cocktail?”

  “But of course my lord,” she replied, playing to his fancy.

  “Stay and enjoy the entertainment, I’ll fetch us some refreshments.”

  “I shall await your return…Sexy.” At least she had tried.

  Without further ado, Derek turned and strode across the room, a lord in his manor. Navigating between the bodies and the columns, he followed a stream of aristocrats through a grand archway into a room beyond. Here couples flirted, and groups of both men and women gathered to discuss matters that suited their tastes. The lighting here was dimmer, suffused. Great satin-covered benches lined the walls and upon them people sat sipping at the rims of crystal glasses of varying shapes and sizes. Nearby a man lit a cigar. It smelled expensive, tangy, and yet smooth. Derek wanted one and he didn’t even smoke.

  Crossing the room, he let his eyes wander across the multitude of bodies dressed in garments of another time. Before today he could have never imagined such a wonder. Now he wondered how he could return to his own life, his own world.

  Finding the bar, a monstrosity of carved wood and stone, he also found himself in
a lengthy line. Before him a dozen and a half gentlemen stood waiting to order their drinks and drinks for their companions. Derek minded the wait not a bit. It allowed him to immerse himself in the room some more. To watch the people around him interact. Listen to them speak. Hear their different accents and inflections. Again, he set himself free.

  Chapter Seven

  It wasn't but a few moments until Derek returned. Well under five minutes, and significantly less time than she had planned. She had only just found a bench against the wall where she could rest a moment.

  He bowed as he handed her a glass of champagne. Her first bubbly sip and the flavor exploded on her tongue. Not much of a champagne drinker, generally preferring anything made with tequila, she was actually surprised by the taste. She had no idea what brand this was, but she would bet her job as a bartender that it was a higher caliber than anything even The Beyond sold.

  "It's wonderful," she said, glancing back up at Derek.

  A little smile lit his full lips, the only part of his face she could actually see. Where her mask merely covered the upper portion of her face, in essence framing her eyes delicately, his was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. It was not only a mask, but it also merged with a type of tri-corn hat, covering almost his entire face and head, even going so far as to dip down beside his ears and frame out his chin. It was gold in color, the hat portion black velvet trimmed in gold. It could easily have been eerie if it weren't so remarkably beautiful.

  Tossing back the last of her champagne, she saw Derek once again smile, his lips actually separated enough to show a glimpse of his straight white teeth.

  She wanted to kiss him, to lose herself in him, here in this world beyond reality. A place where he seemed truly happy. A first in the time she had known him.